Visitors
by Silverwing013
Summary: He has had visitors before, but never like these four.
1. Chapter 1

Clutching at Minion's globe, Blue followed Warden, trusting the man would not lead him into a perilous situation. At least…willingly or purposely. But the chance it could wind up being so worried at Blue. So he held fast to Minion. Minion was always with him. Blue understood Warden had a job, one his fellow inmates held up to similar status as a policemen. So they said. Blue had only briefly meet actual policemen. Most times, not the greatest. Except for this one who insisted Blue call him Petey. Warden along with the other guards were not policemen, the bad guys. If situations did take a turn, they were the first to dash in to help and remove him from the situation, Warden especially.

They stopped at that room. The room of visitors. The room of especially dicey situations, from Blue or Warden's understandings. He, and Minion, recognized the obviously earlier returns of Warden for some of their visits. Even if the why somehow wasn't instantly apparent. Blue would take special note of that, running it back over in his head, his big blue head, working out why Warden came in at that time so that he could spot it in a future encounter.

"Go ahead," Warden prompted him.

Who was in there this time?

Hugging Minion close to his chest, Blue toed the cracked door farther open to see. And with wide green eyes, he took an uncertain step back, his gaze going up to Warden. Warden's mustache twitched above a smile. Amusement. Warm amusement. Warmth in Warden's face was common. Amusement came at odd times.

Blue peered back in through the opening, then to Warden, going back to the man.

Minion was moving with noted excitement in his globe. Clearly, Minion was more willing to show the feelings visibly. As usual. Blue was a bit more reserved. But he shared the same hope.

"There are others like me here?" Blue whispered up at Warden. Anticipation rolled up in Blue. He had never known, never thought there would be others. "Other littles? Other kids? Other s—"

The smile faded a bit. And Blue pulled back. Minion tight to him once more.

"Those are other kids, yes. But they don't live here like you do."

"Oh," Blue said simply. He didn't know what else to say about that fact. It was true of all visitors. This room. Why then, had he thought they were anything but visitors?

"I think you should go in there and meet them," Minion spoke up. His round little eyes were bright. It seemed Minion was still excited about this. "This could be good for you Sir."

Blue frowned, uncertain again, sucking his lower lip in.

"They're good kids," Warden said. "Good hearts, like you have. Go ahead."

And Warden's hand gently gave him a push forward. Blue leaned back.

It was uncommon. The touch. But not as uncommon as he impressed to certain kinds of visiting government officials who frowned upon it for multitudes of reasons. All their reasons caused Warden's face to go pinched and Blue didn't appreciate seeing that. Because Warden…was Warden.

There were also the kinds of visiting officials who touched and prodded him without care, which Blue _hated_.

Warden chuckled, soft and barely there. Then his hand shifted from Blue's back and onto a shoulder, giving a quick, yet somehow, inexplicably, a reassuring squeeze. The comforting touch left. Warden's next words were as quiet as his bit of laugh. "Go on in fellas."

Those wide green eyes looked up at Warden. "We're gunna to be hurt."

And with his shoulders going back, Blue walked into the room, Minion in his hands.

"Wait, what?" Minion finally appeared concerned.

"Don't be silly Minion. We're always treated badly and hurt in some way when Warden doesn't come in with us from the start," Blue told him. "But he'll come in later. I'm sure of it."

Not paying Minion's reaction to the obvious, Blue eyed the other littles in the room. The other kids. Two taller than him, one shorter, were doing something that involved running around and under the table, narrating their actions as something pertaining to boats and pie-rats.

All three of them reminded him of a fellow inmate whose cell was six to the left of Blue and Minion's cell. Fire Man. Dragon. Ju-Long. Red. The Asian. You long, I long. The man liked teaching him about the periodic table and chemicals and reactions and good soul music. These three before him, completely caught up in whatever they were doing, reminded Blue of Red. There was the same look. But not. General similarities hinted at.

"Always." Minion thought it over, then gave Blue a challenging look. "Always seems like a bit of an exaggeration."

"What a fantastic fish."

Screaming, Blue jumped, tripping over his own feet and yelped, fighting to keep hold of Minion in the fall, shoving his feet on the floor, pushing his rear away from the little who'd spoken close to him.

"Where did you come from?!"

"Hi there," Minion greeted loudly from Blue's grasp. Pleased, he swam forward and up in his globe. "Thank you. Fantastic you say?"

Blue scowled at Minion. "Hey. I say that."

"I know. But it is nice to hear it from someone else too."

"I came from over there."

The little, the kid who had taken Blue by surprise pointed to a corner chair that held a small stack of books. The three who had been playing until Blue unintentionally declared his previously unseen entrance, clustered around the one who'd spoken, fascination on their faces. Blue saw not just those three, but all four of them had the same look upon them, hints of similarities from Red's appearance. Except the one who had spoken to Blue. That one had longer hair. Not a few inches long, but inches past shoulders.

An odd one out in these group of littles? Kids.

"I didn't mean to scare you. You okay?"

"Talky fishy!"

The smallest of the kids made to come forward, hands reaching out, and Blue wrapped his arms around Minion's globe. Feet came to a stop. Eyes switched from Minion to Blue.

"No talky fishy?"

"Oh, fishy talky," spoke the tallest. "But you know better than to go and try grabbing things Delbert."

The smallest—Dellllbeeeert?—pouted and looked back to Blue.

"Please? I see talky fishy?"

Not sure about this, most who tried to grab just did it, no asking or waiting for Blue to answer. Even if Blue did, they didn't listen. No matter what Blue said or did. Then, usually, Warden stepped in. Often as they would start removing Minion from Blue's hold.

Blue looked back to the door. It remained closed. Warden wasn't coming in?

Green eyes looked back to the four kids. The smallest one especially. None of them were making a move to take Minion from him. They stood there. Waiting.

"No," Blue said.

Shoulders slumped before him. The smallest one made a face, pursing up and scowling and huffing. But Blue was noticing none of them stepping forward, ignoring him.

They listened.

Face brightening, Blue declared it again. Delighted. Relishing it. "No."

The not quite tallest one, of the three who had been involved in something when Blue came in, rolled their eyes. "We heard you the first time. Geez. You don't have to say it again." Then, that one's head ducked a bit down, curiosity filling up their expression. "How many blueberries did you have to eat to look like that?"

Blue gave that one a strange look.

"What?" Scowling and putting hands on hips, the not quite tallest glared at him. "That's what Uncle Lester says all about eating greens, that they'd turn him green. Everyone knows that's how you go green."

And the tallest one gave the scowling one a glaring look.

The attitude was not too terrible. Blue had repeated it after all. But still…this tallest one seemed to take his power position of being the tallest in enforcing good behavior. Even to Blue. Clearly not part of their formed group. An outsider. But the tallest didn't seem to have a problem with that, like Blue being an outsider didn't matter when it came to standards he held with their group. Including, accepting him?

That would be new. Blue had seen interactions like this. Between all the tallers, the adults. But him being little, a kid, and a variety of other things seemed to be reason to always treat Blue differently, not quite accepting him fully into a group.

"I'm Alfred," the tallest said. His brown eyed gaze was settled onto Blue. A hand came out and Blue hesitantly reached up, allowing the touch and handshake for this one. And then there was a tug, helping him up. "But I like Fred or Freddie better."

"Nice to meet you Mister Fred," Minion greeted cheerfully.

All four sets of eyes went wide at Minion. Blue pulled his hand back to grip a hold of Minion with both hands. Fred's mouth snapped shut, then asked, "Mister?"

"Well, you appear older than Sir."

"Sir? And I'm not an adult. Mister?"

"Ah. I was informed it was considered polite to refer to those older by Mister. That was not correct? It is only for adults?"

"You're the only one who's ever called me Mister in my whole eight years of life," Fred informed Minion.

"You are only three years older than Sir then," Minion said brightly. He turned in his globe, looking up at Blue. "Did you hear that Sir? Fred is only three years older than you are! That's the closest we've gotten to your age!"

"I heard Minion," Blue replied absently. His gaze had gone to the other kids. They had been in here together. Were the rest that young too?

"The youngest?" Fred's voice seemed surprised. "Oh, yeah, right. I guess it is going to be all adults here. But Charlotte is five too."

A finger pointed to the first one who'd spoken at him, the one with long hair. Charlotte smiled at Blue. "Hi! Again. Sorry about surprising you. So…that's Minion right? And your name is…Sir?"

Blue fidgeted, frowning. "My name? Nooo. That's just what Minion calls me."

"I'm not calling you sir," the not quite tallest declared mutinously. Then with Fred turning toward him, quickly added on, "Unless we're playing knights."

Fred sighed. "This one with all the attitude is Bailey. He's a year younger than me, seven. And it's just Bailey. He hates it when people try to shorten his name."

"Baileee," Blue drew the name out. Then eyed Bailey, confused and curious. "How do you play the night? It's just the time when all the lights go off."

Bailey rolled his eyes. "It's playing knights, not night, the opposite of day. Duh. Sword fights and fighting dragons and riding horses and saving the damsel in distress."

"Talky fishy in mote," asked Delbert excitedly. "Be a gator or shark or the, the um, the rana thing?"

Bailey's attention and attitude swung over to the smallest. "The what thing?"

"I think Bert means a piranha," Charlotte said. "You kind of do look like one. But with a much cuter face."

Minion spun in a tight little circle in his globe, happy.

"I wanna be the King," Delbert proclaimed. "Can I, can I? And talky fishy can protect the castle and he can protect the people. He can be my sir knight."

At the tiny hand and finger pointing at him with that, Blue blinked, startled. "I…I've never played…knights before."

"Oh! And Bailey can be the dragon," the smallest one went on brightly. Bailey glared at this. Perhaps the dragon was not a good one to play as when playing knights? Fred nodded though and Delbert gave a little hop. "And you can be other knight, fight the dragon together! Charlotte can be the princess to save from the dragon!"

Save from the dragon? So it was a play of good versus bad? Blue was even less sure about playing this now. Maybe the knight was less like a policeman and more like the guards or Warden?

Charlotte let out a long sigh. "I'd rather read my books than sit there until the knights save me."

Reminded of that, Blue looked back to the corner of the room where the small pile of books sat. "What are you reading?"

After all, the prison library was a place Blue enjoyed spending hours inside. Even if he was only allowed the newspaper and magazines and the ones referred to as educational type books. He personally loved the educational ones, particularly the science and mechanical ones. Blue had managed to get his hands on one he wasn't supposed to have at some point and failed to see the appeal.

"You can come see," Charlotte invited him.

"Awww." Blue turned back to look at the other three. The smallest was pouting again. "But I wanted to play knights with him and talky fishy. Can you read me the dog one again?"

"Sure."

"Yay!"

With that, little feet quickly dashed over to the corner to dig through the stack of books.

"That one again?" Blue turned at Bailey's complaint. It seemed as though that one was not a fan of any kind of repeat thing. "I'm tired of hearing it."

Delbert's jaw quivered, the chosen book lowering. "But…I can't read. I only know a few words. Not like you. The rest of you get to go to shool already. Lucky."

"School," said Fred. "And Bailey's not mad. He's just being Bailey."

At the look directed at him, Bailey shuffled his feet.

Fred looked back to Delbert. "Besides, you get to be lucky enough to go to school soon too. Preschool starts up next month. Remember?"

The smallest one perked up at that. "Oh yeah! Is a month soon? I can't wait to go to shool!"

"It's school," Bailey snapped out. Then appeared to instantly regret it. He winced. He sighed. "Sorry Delbert. I'm still mad I couldn't go play ball with Derek and Jason today."

"I fagive you."

"What is shool?"

Delbert spun to look at Blue, a big beaming smile on his face. "Shool is awesome! You gets to learn all sorts of things!"

Blue brightened in interest. "Learn things? Like different maths and chemical compounds and building things?"

Delbert gave him huge head nods.

"You like building things too?" Fred said suddenly, brown eyes bright in his own interest. "We should make something together."

"That sounds like a great place Sir," Minion pipped up brightly. "You like learning."

"How do you get to go to shool?"

Bailey's slowly growing red face finally burst, his mouth popping open from holding it in. "It's school! And every kid has to go by the time they're five! Which you are dumdum! You'd be the same grade as Charlotte."

Sighing, Fred reached over and swiped the top of Bailey's head.

"What? Every kid knows that!"

"So I get to go to this place?" Blue asked in excited interest.

This did not sound at all like the two times he went to a place other than here. Neither one went well. He had made sure to make it known, done things, to stay here. The prison was safe. Safer than those two other places he had been taken to. It was home.

But a place that was like the prison library Blue could spend hours in, focusing on the things he most enjoyed reading? Sign him up for this place!

"You should," Fred said.

A knock sounded on the door.

Blue turned. And stared at the closed door. No one knocked. Not unless they wanted to peeve someone off. Everyone here just entered. Blue stared and tried to work out who it could be, running various people who knocked and pounded to annoy. Except…most of them shouldn't be in this area.

"Who is it?"

Well, that was one way to go about figuring it out.

"It's your mother Alfred."

Mother?

"Come in," Fred called out.

The door opened. An adult. With hair to their shoulders. Not as long as Charlotte's hair, but longer than Blue was used to seeing. Fred's mother had a large chest. That also caught Blue's attention. This mother must work out a lot. Was that typical? The only thing he knew was mothers were supposed to take care of you. There was mixed responses to what kind of care that was around here, but that was about all Blue knew about mothers. That and he figured he had one. For about eight days. Not long enough to really know a lot about mothers. Other than they were referred to as 'she' and 'her' and other words related to being female.

Blue carefully studied her. In all his time living here, he had lived it surrounded by men. He knew it was only half the population in the world, but the same was not true for his home.

She seemed to have the same similar kind of appearance as Red.

"Mom!"

Delbert burst over in a sprint, latching tiny arms around the mother's legs.

Right. Mothers could also be called that too. Which meant… Fred's mother, Delbert's mother. They had the same mother. Brothers. Blue peered back at Bailey and Charlotte. Their mother too?

"I trust you were all behaving and getting along in here."

"Of course," Fred said. Blue watched Bailey as he shuffled his feet, wrinkling his nose as he glanced away from the mother. "Are we leaving soon then?"

Leaving? They were going to leave? Blue's head moved between all four of them, aghast at seeing Charlotte picking up the stack of books. But, they hadn't been here all that long. And…he wanted to ask them questions about the learning place for kids.

"It was only a quick visit today. But it's nice to hear you all were getting along. Won't that be nice Bailey?" The mother's gaze went to Bailey, who stiffened at the call out. "It looks as though you'll be able to play ball after all."

Cheeks pinking, Bailey looked to his feet and mumbled. "I guess."

Blue stiffened next, Minion's globe pulled tight to himself once again. The mother was looking right at him now. The smile seemed…nice enough. "Sorry it was such a short visit. But it's nice to officially meet you. And Minion. You go by Blue most the time, right?" Hesitant, he dipped his chin downward slightly, keeping his sight on the mother who apparently knew him despite Blue knowing he had never met this person before. The smile widened. "I'm Olivia Kimble and these four are my kids. You can call me Missus Kimble if you like, but I like Oh better myself."

Kimble?

"It's nice to meet you too, Missus Oh!" Minion chimed out brightly. "What kind of respect is the Missus for? I've not heard that one before. Only Mister before a last name for adults."

Why did that last name ring a bell?

"Perhaps for male adults."

"Female! Forgive me. Sir and I have been surrounded by men in all our time here, I didn't realize!"

She laughed a little, hand going up to wave Minion's worry off. "That's fine." Her eyes went up from Minion to Blue. "I think it'd be nice to see you again. Even if for a short time before you ditch the adult to play with my kids instead. I won't hold it against you."

"Play?" Fred muttered to himself. Then the tallest shot Blue a grin. "I'm more looking forward to taking apart a toaster with you."

Blue frowned. "A toaster?"

Delbert turned from where he still hugged their mother's legs, eyes wide and gasping. "No! Not the toaster!"

"And get between your tantrum if you don't get buttered toast in the morning?" Bailey shook his head. "You're bad enough when we run out of bread."

"I am not!"

The mother, Missus Oh, let out a sigh and bemused shake of her head. "How about a toaster you save up enough allowance money to buy and not the one we use at home?"

"Of course." Fred nodded, brown eyes sparking in excitement. "Can we stop at a thrift shop today then?"

"We've got time," she said.

The tallest boy grinned, then grinned over at Blue. Uncertain of what a toaster was, he nodded slowly, thinking that maybe it was similar to him taking apart a calculator and figuring out different things he could build out of it. At least it seemed as though Fred wanted to return. Blue could ask more questions relating to the place of education then.

"But we should get going. Got all your books Charlotte?"

"Yeah, but… I've already read them all. If we're coming back, can I just leave them for him to read? He wanted to know what I was reading."

"Sure, that should be fine. They're not due soon, are they?"

"Nope. Here."

Still holding Minion's globe, Blue wasn't sure on how to take the offered pile. He didn't think he could if he hadn't been holding Minion. Wide green eyes wider, Blue stared at Charlotte.

"Oh, right, you're holding onto your fantastic fish." Minion spun in a tight excited circle at the repeated phrase from Charlotte. Blue huffed. Like he never said that at all to Minion. "I'll just leave them on the chair for you then. See you next time!"

"Buh bye sir knight and talky fishy!" Delbert waved a hand, the one he didn't have tucked inside his mother's hand. Baffled and stunned, Blue lifted fingers off of Minion's globe in return and the smallest one beamed.

Bailey lingered, scuffing his shoes on the floor a bit. His nose wrinkled. "Later."

"I'll be sure to bring a toaster for us next time," Fred said. Promised. Blue stared back at the tallest. The excitement was palpable. "No one else has wanted to join me in taking things apart and putting them back together before."

"Oh dear, I'm sure we'll have to keep a good eye on the two of you. Let's get going."

With that, the mother and her four kids were gone, the door shut. Blue stared at it. The door stayed closed.

"Well, that turned out much better than predicted, didn't it Sir?" Minion asked. "I like them. Kids close to your age should be good for you. And Fred and you appear to share a common interest. That's good, right? Right Sir?"

Blue kept staring at the door. It had been a lot, but it had been a short time. And it wasn't like other times. That it went badly in some way. Even if he didn't realize until Warden came back inside the room obviously much earlier than visitors expected. Warden didn't come in this time. Blue was not all together sure of how to take that. Had this gone…well? He wasn't sure.

"And the school place they mentioned, that seems worth looking into. I know we have had bad experiences in the few times outside of these walls, but it does seem to be an exciting idea, does it not Sir? Perhaps a few questions to Warden won't be amiss in seeing if it is possible for you to attend and learn from more books and more people. In a place that's built solely for the purpose of learning and education!"

The door swung open. Warden. Blue blinked and his wide green eyes went wider for yet another time today. And in such short time. He quickly cast his eyes down to where he held Minion. Not really looking at Minion, but lost in speedy thoughts flitting about in his head.

Warden waved Blue to follow, picking up the stack of small books on the chair near the door.

Silently, Blue followed, Minion with him.

"Looked to go well in there fellas."

"I think it did," Minion chirped out brightly. "Sir? You're awfully quiet Sir."

Blue pulled his gaze upward and moved his feet a bit quicker, stepping slightly in front of Warden. It was hard to see from down here. The placement wasn't…

Green eyes meet blue above the always present mustache.

"Your last name is Kimble. Like her. She knew the most common one to call me, Blue. That was your wife. And kids. That's…"

Blue trailed off, knowing perfectly well what was said on the matter of Warden or the guards here getting too personally involved with the inmates. Especially him. A family. An outside family. Bringing his personal life into the prison and to set up such a visit… Even if Warden's face pinched in dislike about any of the government officials visiting who touched on that topic, Warden had never done anything quite so…so…

Blue stared up at Warden, any loud vocal reactions from Minion at this going largely ignored.

"Why?"

It came out pleading. Confused. Baffled. Concerned for Warden in doing this for him.

Warden's mouth pursed for a moment, then the man crouched down to look Blue, and Minion, in the eyes. "Because between myself, Dave and Ben in there."

Blue quickly glanced over to see Dave and Ben as the guards in the watch room set up for the visitor's room. Minion waved a fin to them. Dave only smiled, but Ben waved back. Blue looked back to Warden. The older man continued.

"We have been in agreement for a while you should be treated like you are, a kid, not an inmate. Even if this is your home. There may not be a lot we can do with some of the other more…rule abiding guards, but most little things can be brushed over. Like the flashcards, the crayons and paper, the star themed blanket rather than the regulation one, extra time in the recreational areas."

"Those are because of you?" Minion's eyes were wide, stunned and pleased and thankful.

"Most kids have playdates set up with other kids during growing up. Becoming social and learning from each other, how to get along and solve the smaller problems that arise between them, figuring out life before they become older and problems aren't so small anymore. Dave and his wife don't have any kids yet. Ben is very much single. He suggested a school group on a field trip, but that would have too many eyes and mouths that would and could speak about it. Not the best idea considering. I've talked about you a bit to my wife and she insisted on bringing our kids up to 'visit their dad at work'."

Blue watched Warden, taking all this in with wide green eyes.

"Between the three of us, we can have them come up to visit you again. Longer. Today was more of a short meeting to see how it would go. What do you say fellas? Up for it?"

"That sounds like a great idea! And how you and Dave and Ben all put the thought and care behind this, planning it, even though it's technically a bit frowned upon… Those little things have always meant so much to us! I never knew it was you behind it Warden!"

Minion splashed up toward the top of his globe.

"What do you say Sir? Oh, say yes, say yes!"

Swallowing, head turned down and away from looking either Minion or Warden straight in the eye, Blue stared at the floor. He could feel his jaw trembling a bit. But enough that he knew. Knew that he may start crying. Why? This was…nice. A good thing. Warden had always been Warden. This was just more so. And it wasn't painful, didn't hurt, clearly not bad. Why did he feel tears welling up and his throat getting tight?

"I…"

Blue swallowed again.

"Thank you," he whispered out.

* * *

AN:  
No, I did not get distracted this weekend with writing a whole one shot, possibly something that could be more, in a fandom I've never written in before. Sighs. Yes, yes I did. And figured after whipping the whole thing out, I might as well post it up, do something with it.

Thought process to names.  
As far as I know, there is no name for Megamind other than him declaring himself that name when him and Metro Man (Wayne Scott) start battling it out as superhero and supervillain. With him being so clearly an alien and found in such a place, unlike the place Metro found himself in while looking very human despite superhuman powers, I'm going along the idea that Megamind never had an official name given to him. There wasn't one mentioned from the planet he left from. (Perhaps they wait a few days before naming or something, who knows, but this baby could recall he'd been alive 8 days and things that happened, so I would think he'd remember a name if there was one. I went with, no name at the time.) Anyway, a clear alien, let's keep our distance and not get to personal? I'm guessing no one gave him an official name growing up. It'd be a variety of nicknames. Like fellow inmate 'Red' our tiny little blue alien mentions. So, I went with he's called many things and answers to all of them, but Blue tends to be a top thing to call out in getting his attention.  
Minion was 'named' from the start. Even if Minion isn't really a typical name. To us Earthlings. But also, there has to be some sort of tie with the planets Megamind and Metro Man come from. Human like appearance and speaking human? (Thinking too much, I know, of course everyone speaks the same language in a family friendly animated movie, but still) But what looks to be Megamind's parents at the start, they handed him the aquatic guy and declared it, declared that name. So, Minion gets to still be Minion in his name, like the movie. Unlike Megamind.  
And Warden. It's used like a name. And well, everyone there seems to call the guy that. So, yeah, Warden. I did a nod back to the voice actor for him with giving him the 'real' last name of Kimble.

Er, yeah. Anyway, I whipped this up over the course of the weekend. So, yep. Posting it up. Despite never writing in this fandom before. And now I've opened myself up to it. I feel like I asked for trouble in that. But hey, I wrote it, so I might as well do something with it, right?


	2. Chapter 2

Excited as he was, Blue kept Minion close as Dave and Ben led him out all proper. Metal jangled cheerfully as he bounced on his feet. Orange jumpsuit on, just as any other person who lived here wore, eager for what was to come. A first for Blue. Considering how the other two trips outside of his home went. Warden was at the end of the pathway to the outside world, the man behind making this possible for Blue.

It was not the same place as his favorite visitors were going, as it'd been issue enough for Warden in pushing to make it possible. So, a smaller place it was, to keep a better eye on him in a classroom. It was close to home. Apparently, they had another child in attendance who fit the 'gifted' name of the school, thus being on the outskirts of the city. That was exciting. Even if Blue was wishing he could start up the first required year together with Charlotte. At least he still had Minion and Minion was allowed.

Fred and Charlotte talked up their experiences of how much they enjoyed school. Fred for all the hands on activities teachers introduced, Charlotte for all the stories and learning in general. Blue, along with Delbert, soaked up all they could out of them. Bailey, well, he was Bailey about it, but even he had good things to say with how he liked being able to play with others who weren't his siblings. Blue didn't know what was so bad about that. All the Kimble siblings were great.

To meet other littles. And learning!

Blue bounced on the heels of his feet, quick to scamper up the steps as the bus pulled around to drive him the short distance. Ben and Dave followed on. Ben's mouth quirked at him just the slightest, then went back to something stern faced as he directed his eyes straight before him. Blue grinned from behind the back of the seat, where the driver couldn't see, ignoring the driver in favor of peering over the top of the seat as he watched the little red building getting larger as they pulled up to it.

Sit? At a time like this? The driver must be joking!

He was up and down the stairs before the bus driver opened the doors back up. This was it. Blue was past the doors as soon as they opened, making his way to the door of the little red building that was the promised glory of school. The door was already open for him, Blue could see the other littles, kids, as he made his way up.

And then small shoes came down onto the ground. A kid he didn't spot until he had gotten close enough. Or because the other kid came back down from flying. The kid had been spinning and holding a desk in the air, an adult grasping onto the desk as everyone in there was smiling and laughing about the show. The kid turned to look to the doorway, as did the rest, glad faces falling away as they stared at Blue.

Blue's face fell.

It may have been four and a half years, but he remembered that face. The other baby. The other kid sent away. The other one who landed here with him. Who wound up with the large house and a second set of parents, doted on. Blue had read the newspapers. He had heard enough about the Scotts to get an idea of the difference between their respective landings. This other kid had really lucked out.

And it seemed the luck was holding for the other kid from the Glaupunk Quadrant even now.

More hesitantly, Blue stepped into the building.

"Ah." The adult slid off the desk, standing and straightening up. The smile on her face was not as warm as Blue had hoped and had heard of her. Because, she, he was sure the adult was a female like Missus Oh with the chest (Charlotte was too except she lacked those so maybe it was the length of hair?) but she as the adult had to be the teacher. "I've been made aware of the situation. Children, meet our last student joining the class. I am Missus Doe. Come up and make introductions."

Blue stared up at her as the other kids whispered among each other, pointing and apprehensive.

Make introductions?

"We'll be back at the end of the schoolday for you," Dave said a bit gruffly as he removed the metal from Blue's ankles.

Taller, Ben had taken to removing the metal from Blue's wrists, careful not to bump Minion's globe, leaning closer for a moment. "Introduce yourself, say who you are. Pretend they're like…like Bailey."

Blue brightened. "Oh, okay! I got it!" He peered around Ben and Dave as they finished up, offering a smile to the other kids. "My skin color is not due to eating far too many blueberries. I _am_ currently testing to see if increasing my intake does make any difference to the shade of my skin. But it is proving, so far, to generate to no substantial or noticeable change, therefore, contrary to any belief such as eating greens to turn one green, that is yet untested, is likely not true."

The moment hung there, then the frozen silence moved on with someone speaking from the group.

"What?"

Another pause, briefer, then in a quieter tone.

"Looks _and_ sounds like a weirdo. What's wrong with him?"

There was a sharp intake of breath near him and Blue's eyes went to Dave who'd been moving to get back up from removing the chains at Blue's feet. Fists tightened around the chains. The corners of Dave's eyes went just slightly pinched, narrowing. Lips barely moving, "Nothing."

Nothing?

Ah. Blue nodded. Dave was merely answering the kid's question.

"Well, we'll be off and back for him at the end of the day," Ben spoke up. He stood tall, smile on his face as he meet the eyes of everyone in the room. "Behave."

With that simple directive to the classroom, Ben and Dave took their leave. Leaving Blue alone. Except for Minion. Expectant and looking at the younger faces who were pulling faces quite like Bailey, Blue offered a smile. Which faded as no one else smiled back. They stared. One took a step back and behind the rest.

"Well," Missus Doe breathed out. Blue turned his attention to her to see her turning her back to walk over to the larger desk she'd been lifted and spun on. She turned back with a strained smile. "Why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself then? Your name, birthday, something you like doing. Tell the class about your pet you bro—"

"Minion's not a pet. Minion is Minion. I don't have a name, but I'm called by several things. I do prefer Blue." Someone snorted. There was a giggle from somewhere. "Other ones are variations of little, such as Little Guy and Little Blue and Little Big Brain. Or plain Big Brain. There's Brainy and Brainiac and Smart Guy and Wonder Kid and Megahead and Smartie and Bookworm and Wormy. Little Lightning. Our Little Alien or plain Our Alien, but I guess those are more from…"

Blue trailed off. Those were more terms of belonging from the other inmates. And he didn't want to go into things called by certain visitors who were not his favorites in the offshoots of 'alien' for him. He straightened.

"Anyway, I prefer going by Blue. My birthday is September 27 of 1977. Or at least that is the date when it falls here. According to the orbit of the Earth, this means my age here is coming up on six years."

"What?"

Missus Doe ignored the kid who spoke, glancing down to her desk and frowning as she shuffled through papers. "I've got your birthday marked for December 25 of that year, not—"

"My birthday!" Blue turned at the startled voice. The other kid who had landed here was wide eyed, face slack. "We've got the same birthday? On Christmas?"

"That can't have the same birthday as _you_."

"Yeah."

"No way."

The other kid's eyes furrowed down, glancing to those around and seemed to draw up at their support, mouth slowly pursing with dislike to the fact of sharing a birthday.

"Nooo." That was obvious. The other kid certainly wasn't born on that day no more than Blue was born on it. Clearly even the other kid had to know that. "We only have the same landing day. With the calculations and time passed in travel, I have said repeatedly tha—"

"Landing day? Wayne isn't some freaky blue alien like you!"

There was that word. Freaky. Tensing up, Blue gripped Minion tight to himself, the globe pressed up against his ribs.

"No, but—"

"Even you admit you're a liar!"

"No, I'm trying to say—"

"Liar!"

"How dare you come in and make up stuff about Wayne?"

"He's not blue, but I remember him and saw his ship land—"

"Liar!"

"Wayne's just gifted! Like a superhero with powers!"

"He's normal! Not a weirdo! Or a liar! Like you!"

"Would you let me ta—"

"Children, children!" Missus Doe broke in. All the kids fell silent. Blue breathed a sigh out. "Let's move on to the start of the day now that our new student has introduced himself."

Blue frowned, standing there with Minion as the other kids shifted and sat into two rows of half circles. "I like building things," he announced. No one reacted like Fred to that. More like Bailey. When Blue repeated something or gave support to how Delbert said things to cause reaction. He drew in a shaky breath, stubbornly continuing. "And Minion was sent here with me to—"

"You need to sit and join the rest of the class like I instructed. You've already introduced yourself."

Hope stuttered inside of him. This wasn't the promised and looked forward way he'd expected and been told of teachers. This was more like certain officials visiting who were more interested in their own words and conclusions about him, poking and prodding when they could, referring to him as…

"But… You never specified to sit and join, only to move on to starting the day. This is my first day and I had yet to be made aware of that's what you meant. And I'd yet to properly finish my introductions with the information you…" Trailing off at the sight of the look on her face, not sure what he'd said in all that to get the look, Blue swallowed. "Asked of me. Missus Doe."

The word of respect appeared to work. A little.

"That's fine. We start out each day like so. If you miss the instructions, follow the example of your classmates or ask them."

He'd not missed the instructions, but choose not to point it out as it may be she'd not realized or didn't like to have herself questioned by others. Blue had seen more than a few like that in the room for visitors. Yet with all the excitement that had been sparked and growing, he leaned toward the first option. She must have gone over the rules a few days before with the rest of the kids. One day versus several. She'd not realized. It could happen.

He sat at the end of a row, pulling Minion close to his lap when the kid nearest leaned away from him.

The rest of the day wasn't much better.

Or week. Well, the rest of the school week. The weekdays? Weird. Because weekend made sense with how the calendars were set up. He would have thought the middle would be called, well, the middle. Anyway, the rest of the school week meant from his first day, Wednesday, to the Friday.

Anytime Blue brought up something he had learned, the teacher tended to be annoyed with him and the onetime said she knew what she was talking about. From then on, he went to asking questions, trying to figure out the truth of what he'd read or learned from others before to what she said. It was baffling and confusing, but Blue was willing to take in the challenge of figuring out how up to date the teacher was compared to what he'd previously learned. Several of those books from the prison library were a bit out of date as he'd realized a bit ago.

The other kids didn't include him. They were used to each other and already a group. Wayne, the other kid who landed here, gave him more curious looks than the other kids did with their side eyes and mutterings about appearance and lies. Maybe there was a bit of a hope with the two of them getting along after all? And then Wayne would get quickly taken back up by what the other kids were doing and saying.

Well… He was new and new things took time. Right?

It was only that, Blue really wanted this to work, he really wanted to be part of school and all the learning and learning experiences.

He'd not been so excited that he hadn't taken note of what had been said from his home. Red and Alg and Marcus, they'd all spoken on how school taught them very important things for them, but they'd had a hard time making friends. Most the rest though? They really spoke up on finding their people there, even if they thought not the best of school itself. Warden and Ben had been excited, yet gave words of caution and patience in how it would go as it was a new place and would take getting used to for everyone.

Still. It had not taken long at all for Blue and his favorite visitors.

"Sounds like you need a chance to catch the other kid alone," Fred said as he fiddled with the wiring of the toaster. Blue unscrewed at his made over calculator to make more adjustments, glancing to Fred's work and the older boy's face at the words. "He's doing what others want out of him…even if he wants to be friends. If it's more of him wanting to do the right thing, he'd stand up for you. You said Wayne pulled two of them fighting apart and brought them to the teacher? And she had them work it out?"

"Sean and Douglas were put in the corner for five minutes," Blue corrected. "Punished. But ran off to play together during recess as though they'd never fought."

"Yeah. That can happen. A lot to Bailey actually."

"Hey!"

Charlotte and Delbert laughed and giggled.

"Yeah, anyway. If it's him wanting to do the right thing over just doing what others expect of him…he might be confused on why everyone is treating you that way. He doesn't know you well right now and well, the clothes you wear going out belong to people who've done really wrong things." Fred paused to look up at Blue. "Time will prove them wrong on thinking the worst out of someone in orange. It's a great color."

"And fruit," Delbert chimed in brightly. "Tasty color. The tasiest."

"Tastiest."

"Hm, I don't know if I want that," Blue mulled over. He grinned to himself, ducking his head back down and peered up to Bailey. "Tasiest fruit sounds simply electrifying."

At Bailey's sputter and yelling, Delbert cracked up into full-fledged giggles rolling around on the floor. Minion rolled around the smaller boy, tilting his body up to look at Blue with a grin of his own. "Good one, sir!"

"It's not really that shocking." Still, Blue grinned wider, pleased. "After all, lightning."

"You must really like it. You wear it aaall the time."

His grin faded at Delbert's statement, looking to the blue lightning bolt on his suit. A hand came up and he fingered the symbol. "No. Er, not like that, but… It's a… It has meaning to me."

Blue licked his lips, slowly looking up to four sets of openly curious and waiting eyes. "My parents, they put me in a dark blue onesie outfit with a lightning bolt on it, before they sent me here because the planet, the quadrant was… Well, they always put me in one. In the eight days I lived with them. I don't know if it was something all babies were put in or if it meant something more to the people there or if it was important to our family or if they just liked it, but…it's one of the few things they gave me and where I came from before this became home."

Quiet filled the room when Blue finished speaking. Fred had long since stopped tweaking his half of their project. Bailey's mouth gaped open, snapping shut under watery looking eyes. Delbert shifted a little, breaking up the silence with a quiet, "Oh."

"I'm adding it," Charlotte spoke up. Startled, green eyes looked over to her. She pointed at the sheets of paper she'd been scribbling on, the book she'd been hiding the cover from the rest with a thick piece of construction paper tilted forward enough that Blue noticed it looked similar to a dictionary. And the sheets she was writing on looked like a list, not the start of any story to act out for them to choose from later like she first started with that— "For last names. I've been making a list for you and staring some I think work better. Names in general. Not last names. Nicknames are nice and personal, but I think you ought to have a proper name. Dad and Mom agree, letting me check out the book from the library and bring it. Dad's really for it, but he can't really do much about it, not officially. But I thought it'd be nice if you could choose…what? I'm sorry. You probably already have one, don't you? From your parents, right?"

Slowly, eyes wide in shock, Blue shook his head.

"Sir's parents had yet to choose a name, if that was how it was done." Minion rolled forward in his globe and gave a small shrug. "I'm not altogether sure how names were chosen for them. For me, it was a matter of my choice when I was chosen by Sir's parents to be a companion to him just before Sir was born. I say chosen, but really, I can be rather stubborn and persistent if I want to be. Swam right up and put myself front and center. Anyway, I chose Minion because it felt like a good descriptor for who I was and wanted to do for Sir as he grew. Sir comes first and I will assist him in the best way I can. And, well, I thought it was rather funny as it's connected to—"

"_Filet mignon_," Blue finished. "Translated from French as 'cute' or 'dainty' fillet. It's supposed to be referring to tenderloin steak usually. This fantastic fish here, apparently liked the fact my parents compared him to a bull in how he pushed his way forcefully through the rest to reach them."

"Especially as I was the smallest," Minion piped in proudly.

"Woooah." Awed, Delbert gave a clap. "Awesome talky fishy."

Minion preened. Then looked back up to Blue. "In any case, the most Sir and I figure from what we know of our short time there, names were to be discovered as little ones grew. We think it's likely a choice by him or a joint family decision on a name when he would have been old enough for who he was as a person to start showing. And old enough to have input to what he was to be referred to. So, Sir has likely been of the right age to choose a name for a while, but, well, with the circumstances being what they are and even though this is our home… Sir has not really spoken up on being ready to choose a name and I didn't really want to broach the topic as there is that lingering question if it is a joint family decision with us."

"Minion!"

"Sorry Sir." Minion looked anything but sorry.

"Do you wanna have Dad and Mom help?" Delbert asked.

"They're our Dad and Mom, not his," Bailey snapped.

Delbert went wide eyed, pulling back, lip trembling. "Sor-sorry! I's tryin' to help!"

Fred rubbed at Delbert's back, giving Bailey a look. Who, in turn, looked down and looked sorry about causing Delbert to burst into tears. "Well, you don't just go around shoving it in someone's face they don't have parents," he muttered and grumbled. "Derek puffs up and always starts crying whenever someone does that about his dad, so I'm not sorry I tried to stop Delbert doing that to…"

Fred sighed. "I know. I get that, but…" His brown eyes went over to Blue as he kept rubbing Delbert's back. "They're trying to help, they didn't mean to upset you."

"Yes. I'm sorry. I only thought you might like some ideas, even if Dad says you can't officially have one. You can take my list if you want," Charlotte offered Blue. "And the book. I'll ask about getting it checked out from the library longer."

Blue sat there. Not able to speak. They were all trying to help. Help him. It was…nice. Even if it hurt, facing the idea of him having his own name, to actually choose one. Charlotte getting a book, making a list. Delbert offering their own parents. Bailey trying to put a stop to it as it wasn't quite the same as Blue having his own parents help him. Fred trying to soothe everything over for everyone.

"Lightning. Sounds like a good last name, a family name."

Quiet fell over the room again, sans Delbert's sobs turning into sniffles.

"Uh, Sir?"

Blue swallowed. "It seems fitting. As it's the symbol I was always placed in by family. A lightning bolt."

"C-certainly. It certainly does seem fitting, Sir."

The four siblings all looked at each other, various emotions among all of them. Minion was too busy staring at Blue with surprise turning into hopeful excitement. But Blue could see the strain on one of the Kimbles. The only one who did not have a hint of joy or excitement.

"Is that even a last name? Lightning? I've never heard of anyone with that for a last name."

Fred reached over and swatted Bailey's head. "Quiet."

"Of course it a last name! It's Sir Knight's last name! He picked it! Just now. Didn't you hear him, Bailey? I like it."

"If people can have things like Woods and Clay and Stone for last names, why not Lightning?" Charlotte asked with a shrug. "Besides, it has meaning to him. Did you want my list and the book then?"

"I can…take it. What ones did you star?"

She tucked her long hair behind an ear as she leaned forward. Minion rolled forward in his globe, still struck in a very stunned looking manner. Blue moved his eyes away from Minion and back to Charlotte as she pointed to the names with stars beside them.

"Most of them all have meanings that are things like thunder or stars or something to do with the sky. I've got a few that are more from one of the nicknames you've mentioned. Brian is close to brain. Like that. I like these here. Megha, um, Megaduta and Meghanada and Meg-dwot? Not sure how to say that one. Indian names. But they all mean things like clouds or thunder. Oh! And this one here. Meged. That one means blessing, I think. I'd have to check back in the book. But I wrote those down because you said a nickname of yours was Megahead. First part of that is Meg."

"Meg? That's a girl's name."

Charlotte raised her head up to Bailey. "So? Dad's first name can be thought of as a girl's name. And yours. You even insist on it."

"Because everyone else who meets me wants to shorten it to Lee and makes fun of my name! I've got more reason than most to speak up against anything with Meg! What about these here? Hitomu. Or Aoki. Tomohiro. You didn't star any of those names."

Delbert perked up and leaned in close. "Like Jiji and Baba?"

Blue frowned. "Like whom?"

"Our grandfather and grandmother," Fred said. "Ojisan and Obaasan. Jiji and Baba is what we call them. Mom's parents. Their parents moved here from Japan, our great-grandparents. We've never meet them though. They passed away before we were born."

"Oh! That makes sense! I thought all of you kind of resembled Red, but not really. You're all from the same area." Noticing the confusion, Blue explained himself more. "Red is a few cells down from me and he's half Chinese."

As if speaking of her summoned her, there was a knock on the door. "Come on in, Missus Oh," Minion called out.

"Didn't finish your joint project today?" She asked at seeing the pieces still somewhat scattered around.

Fred drooped. "It's time to leave already? Can we have longer Mom? It's just…we were a little sidetracked."

Their mother glanced back around them, coming closer and around to see the book and papers spread out. "Oh! I see. This is exciting. Might I toss in Leonard as my name suggestion?"

Blue frowned, running it through his head. "Leonaaard. Leonard. Leonard…Lightning? I'm not sure Missus Oh," he said slowly. This didn't feel like something to rush. Lightning fit for him, fit for a family name considering the meaning to him. But what meaning did Leonard have? "Why Leonard?"

"Mom's got a thing for names that have 'l' in them," Bailey informed in the same tone Alg coolly ratted out prisoners he caught cheating at card games. "Or didn't you notice? Alfred, Bailey, Charlotte, Delbert."

"Ah. Quite neat, Missus Oh. I'm afraid I merely noticed the alphabetical part," Minion admitted.

"I'm afraid I do have a weakness for liking names like that. I glanced through the book earlier and Leonard's meaning is 'brave lion', but the notes about the patron saints connected to that name stood out to me. It's the name of the patron saint of childhood as well as the name of the patron of prisoners."

Blue nodded, soaking that in.

"I'm also afraid, that yes, Alfred, we must get going. Blue has much to think over about if he wants to make a decision over a name of his own. I'll bring them all back to visit again next week and I'm sure Minion and my husband will be glad to help as you think your decision over. Goodness knows it took us weeks to settle on Charlotte's name."

"Mom wanted Carol," Charlotte informed Blue.

He nodded again. Fred made to move their project into a box and Blue silently helped in putting it away for now. And with a string of goodbyes and words on looking forward to seeing him again, his favorite visitors left the room. Minion rolled across the floor in his globe, circling the loose sheets to scan the names listed, then over to the closed book, giving Blue a hopeful look. Blue picked the book and gathered the loose sheets up.

Given nicknames and preferring one over the rest were one thing. But to actually choose one name to stand for him? The name to represent himself? That task was far more daunting.

And, as he was starkly reminded of, would not matter to anyone outside of these walls.

It'd be getting too personal with him.

The alien. To be poked and prodded and kept scrutinizing eyes upon. Judging and downplaying or downright ignoring when he spoke.

They would never allow him to officially have an actual name.

Still...

Blue clutched the book and sheets close to his chest, looking to the symbol he pressed them close to.

Lightning.

He liked it.

* * *

AN:  
No, no, I did not just marathon another weekend and adding on to this thing. Hangs head. Okay, yes, I did. The possibly something that could be more happened. Curses! Well, it's now a two shot. Also being possibly something that could be more. Why do I do this? Yet as soon as it gets in my head and I write it, I might as well post this part out too. In a fandom I've never posted anything up for. Until this. I feel like I am still asking myself for trouble. Anyway. Another weekend that I whipped something up and well, I might as well do something with it. So, posted it up. Again.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey," a sudden voice demanded. "Why have you been acting sad all day? You should have known you'd get in trouble with putting the settings on high and blowing it up. Like an evil, bad guy. Shouldn't you be doing the evil laugh, like they do on the television, not…this?"

Realizing the voice had been directed at him, speaking to him, with the 'blowing it up' bit, Blue turned to see the other making an over-the-top overall gesture to all of him.

Him.

Blue blinked.

Someone was speaking to him.

And it was the other kid from the Glaupunk Quadrant.

Wayne Scott.

Blue tugged Minion, still in the small robotic suit, closer to him. The suit had gone over so well. Minion had been able to move excellent with how he'd designed it and tailored it. Proving to be quite a fantastic fish, listening well enough and adapting to it quickly, managing to walk and then strut in the robotic suit by a matter of a couple hours.

Little top heavy though.

"I miscalculated," he mumbled. "I was low on time and I've never needed finesse the last time I made something like this. I didn't take into account the added ears of corn and the change of container."

Baffled, the other furrowed his eyebrows down, tilting his head at Blue. "Huh? It's a metal thing. They do exactly what button you push on it. And you don't _make_ them. They're just there."

Blue's arms tightened around Minion, scowling and bristling at the condescending tone. "_I made it_," he snapped back defensively. Churlishly, he shifted so his back was to the other, head turned pointedly away. "_Someone_, at some point, made those 'metal things'."

The day had already gone horribly bad with his 'Show and Tell' literally blowing up in his face. Blue didn't want to take any part of more teasing and picking and insults and disregard of him. His hope of school changing, hope of the other kids accepting him eventually, had taken a really sharp nose-dive today. The other one, the luckier one, telling Blue he wasn't allowed his own feelings and that he should have known what settings to put the 'metal thing' on and Blue already _knew_ he messed up and basically saying he was liar for making the device… None of any of that was helping.

Because of timing and rotation, Blue was always the last one picked up from school.

At first, he had hope on the extra time. More time to learn and ask questions of the teacher. More time to be around and talk to the other kids. More time to experience school. But it'd become more time to stand outside of the school, Missus Doe insisting he leave the building at the same time as the other kids. It'd been more time of having the kids of his class avoiding him and speaking and playing with anyone but him. It'd been more time to watch them all leave, one-by-one, picked up by parents who were quick to usher their kids away. From him. Blue saw the eyes, heard the mutters, and it took him barely any time at all to understand he was the cause for the rush.

"You made it blow up."

Blue hunched up his shoulders.

"I miscalculated."

"You didn't miss the calculator."

Blue spun back around to glare.

"I miscalculated," Blue repeated again in a harsher tone.

Bailey would have hated the repeated words. Blue's chest clenched. He'd rather be back home, all four of the Kimbles with him. Fred would understand. And Bailey and Charlotte. Even Delbert for all he bemoaned over the old toaster Fred had accidently destroyed.

"Not calculator. I underestimated, I erred, blundered, messed up, got it wrong. I made a mistake. My objective was merely to pop the corn kernels, not to blow the whole thing up. Do you understand? I am very much aware the device I spent all weekend creating was a failure. All I was trying to do was to impress everyone during 'Show and Tell'."

Spent, Blue's shoulders slouched and he shifted his body away from Wayne, curving himself over Minion in his arms.

And Charlotte thought it'd be nice if Blue made something to pop the corn because not everyone could do it like Wayne could. Which got him scribbling down a list of what the other boy could do, Blue thinking that he could someday make devices to match. Fred highly approved.

Then doing his own version of what Wayne could do blew up in Blue's face. So right now? All Blue wanted to do was to make a device to disappear.

"A…a mistake?"

"Yes!"

Blue's jaw trembled and he tried not to cry. Wayne hadn't believed him in all of this, voice doubtful at any of what Blue said as true. He just wanted to go home.

School had… School was losing its luster.

"I still don't see how you didn't know pushing that button would make it blow up. Buttons do exactly what they're supposed to. And they're made to be safe." Wayne's voice jerked to a halt, then slowly, he kept going. "Unless it was broken or damaged by someone on accident. So maybe… Your metal thing did kind of fall apart. You didn't break it on purpose before, right?"

Slowly, Blue peered up and over his shoulder back to Wayne, green eyes wide. He shook his head.

"Okay, then! We'll tell Missus Doe tomorrow and it'll all be good! Well, that will be good. Whatever you did to be a criminal in orange, you still have to pay for that."

Startled, a strangled noise rose up Blue's throat.

"I haven't seen you stealing anything or looking like you want to kill anyone or even really being all that bad. You seem okay enough to me, even if you make up stories like me being an alien too with us having the same birthday, which I thought was kind of neat. The us having the same birthday thing I mean. But… What did you do to be wearing prison clothes?"

Blue frowned. "I didn't do anything. It's my home. It's where my spaceship landed. After I got knocked off course by your spaceship."

"I _don't_ have a spaceship. I'm _not_ an alien." The boy stomped his foot twice, punctuating his stress and definitive 'not'. The sidewalk cracked under his foot and Blue took a hasty step back. "My parents are from here, not the Milky Way. I have gifts, superpowers."

"Glaupunk Quadrant," Blue corrected. He toed the edge of the crack. Enough to crack at the sidewalk, not enough to really be a tripping hazard right in front of the school building. "Not the Milky Way. We are from the Glaupunk Quadrant. Do you really not—"

"I'm _not_!"

Wayne's fists clenched as he shouted, the forceful flex pulsing through the air, thrumming with promise and pushing Blue slightly back. Green eyes wide, Blue stumbled farther back, twisting himself so that Minion was angled away from the other boy. His mind scrambled in something to say or do to undo what he had caused. But Blue couldn't find the words to say or thing to do. His body angled more, hands circling Minion around his side and behind his back.

"Look at me! I'm human! Human! You're blue! And a liar! Trying to say the teacher is wrong about us having the same birthday! About making metal things! Pretending it blowing up wasn't your fault and trying to make me believe you that it was a mistake! A liar! I have superpowers! Superhuman! Human! Not a freaky blue bad boy alien, who is so bad, your home is a jail!"

Wayne's eyes went wide, coming to some realization, flying closer with his fists still clenched. Breathing hard, Blue moved backwards as fast as he could, not daring to take his eyes off the angry boy. Stumbling, he flung out an arm and caught himself, wrapping his other arm tight to not drop Minion. Blue couldn't slow to make sure he didn't fall on his rear though. His feet moved even faster. And then ran back right into the fence lining the school. Panicked, Blue's jaw trembled, chancing a glance either way.

Too late. Wayne was right in front of him. His face red and nose flaring as he spat.

"I bet you lied about landing there! Anyone who goes to jail has done something bad! Like you! You belong there! Not here with the rest of us!"

Blue swallowed. He wanted the ground to swallow him up. He wanted to sink through the fence. He wanted to disappear.

Wayne turned in the air, flying back to the front, air kicking up at Blue and firing loose clumps of dirt at him.

"Sir?"

Minion's voice came from behind Blue, cautious and concerned.

"Not now, Minion," Blue said.

His voice was thick. Swallowing again, he felt the tremble of his jaw and tried to force it to hold still. Drawing in deep breaths to attempt to have his chest to stop moving so much, Blue barely held it in. Then the long white limousine pulled up and who must be Wayne's mother exited to give the boy a hug, ushering him inside the vehicle.

The other boy was so sure of who he was and his place here, believing and having a loving family, his every whim and desire catered to. And Blue… He had never had that option. Not with looking like this. Not with landing where he did.

Blue gulped, tears streaming down his face, the visage of the leaving limousine shrinking and wavering before him. He watched it go until he could not anymore. And then lost the will to keep standing and holding it in, sliding down the fence with a great sob.

"Sir!"

Minion had wiggled his way out from under Blue's arm, managing, in what was left of the mechanical contraption Blue had made, to pull himself onto Blue's lap. Wiping at his face, Blue looked at Minion. He scarcely took in the wide eyed look of alarm, before he let out another loud gulping and sobbing noise, wailing loudly.

"Sir!"

"Not now!"

"But sir!"

"Blue!"

Was that…Ben?

"Dave! He's over this way! Give us a second Frank."

Gulping, Blue frantically tried to rub all the evidence of tears off his face, trying to get his breathing under control.

"Hey, Blue. Hey. We're here. You're not alone, we got you." Blue could feel the warm large hand sliding over his shoulder, rubbing his back. Dave. There was a hiss up and away from Blue. "Where is that teacher?"

There was a snort. "Yeah, right. You mean someone of authority clearly okay with ignoring what they see or plain not bothering for someone different? It was written all over her face from day one. I know that look. Pretty damn well. Which one of the little punks made you cry?"

Hiccupping, Blue shook his head. "No!"

"Was it your popcorn machine you made?" Dave asked in a soothing voice. "It's all right. Mistakes happen. You'll get it figured out. You know you will. You've got both the brains and the tenacity for it, Blue. Whatever happened, it'll be fine. Minion looks perfectly fine. And those other kids? They'll see when you get it working again and it'll be the coolest thing. It's popcorn. All kids love popcorn. What? You burnt the kernels? It didn't pop them like you wanted?"

"No." Blue shook his head. "I…I… It blew up!"

Silence followed.

"There may have been a slight fire," Minion admitted. "Minor. The only damage was done to the old pot we were allowed to use."

"Well, then." Ben sounded cheerful, a slight laugh. "That's it? That's not even all that bad. A contained fire in a pot. A real campfire. And burned popcorn. Sounds like my family on a camping trip. That's far better than the prison wall you blasted through. Ha. You do know that's pretty much what little Freddie did to the toaster, right?"

Blue blinked at that point, peering up. "Y-yeah. But he's _good_. People still like him, include him. He's good. I'm…I'm not."

Dave's hand froze on Blue's back. Then lifted. Up and away. Jaw trembling again, Blue lowered his gaze. Only to find Dave had grasped a hold of his chin to lift it up. Blue kept his gaze down to the grass.

"Blue. Look at me," Dave said firmly. Swallowing, Blue slowly lifted his eyes up. Minion was there by his legs looking up in concern and Ben looked upset. But Dave's eyes were narrowed, pinched at the corners, boring straight at Blue. Blue swallowed again. "You are a good kid. You have a good heart. You like helping others. Which is why that wall thing happened. You wanted to help. Which is a good thing. You are young and will make mistakes. Even adults make mistakes. One hopes you make less over time, learning from old ones and learning more of the world around you, but it happens. But you, Blue, you are a good kid at the heart of it all. You hear me?"

"G-good? But, I was sent to the corner and blew up the pot and scared everyone and they all…don't like me. I was sent to the corner. I can't be good. I—"

"Made a mistake. And I bet while you were in the corner, your big head was figuring out exactly what that mistake was and how to fix it so the popcorn would pop properly next time for everyone, wasn't it?"

Startled, a noise exited Blue, his green eyes wide up at Dave. "How did you know that?"

"Because I know you, Blue. And like I said, you are a good kid. All kids get sent to the corner or some form of punishment when they mess up. It happens. Like after the wall thing, remember? Warden took away your time with tools for a week, but you got them back and you learned a lesson. Right?"

"Right," Blue agreed slowly. "All kids go to the corner? Not just me? Because I'm…evil?"

"All kids. And you're not," Ben replied forcefully.

"That's right, sir," Minion chimed in. "I have said this all before. And pointed out all that is worth celebrating. Warden really looks out for us. And Dave and Ben here, they came running as soon as they knew something was wrong. Red and Carl. Carl's out now, but he still sends you postcards and letters. We got the chance to meet the best visitors, rather than ones that prefer poking and prodding. Missus Oh too. All of them, all of any of the people who have bothered to see past how you look or where you come from, they all like you. They all care about you. Do you really think they would like and care about someone evil?"

Blue bit at his lip. "Well. Red and Carl were in prison. And…and Fred and Bailey and Charlotte and Delbert…they're all young and may not know better. Except. Their dad is Warden."

Those were all good people in Blue's eyes, whatever the details about them, good people. His eyes trailed from Minion and back up to Dave and Ben. Guards. The guys on the side of good. Er, depending on who was defining the word, but still, a force of good. So definitely good there with them. And Warden, the man in charge. Blue's mouth twitched up.

"See?"

"I still want to know what little punk I need to have a talk with about this," Ben grumbled gruffly. "Don't tell me there wasn't a kid that did or said something to you. Who was it? Or them. Tell me."

Blue's eyes shot wide. "No!"

"Ben," Dave toned, full of disapproval. "Really? You think that's the best way to handle this?"

Ben huffed, looking away. "Spoilsport. Best way for me to feel better about dropping him off here, yes. Please tell me it was the other kid. The Scott brat. Oh! It was!"

"Don't!" Blue scrambled up, frantic, pleading. "He…he's the good kid here! He's good! He…he is the only one who is nice to me and gets the other kids to include me. A little. Or… He was…"

Trailing off, Blue thought over how upset Wayne had been and not sure how he'd gotten Wayne that upset to fix it or not do it again. He'd probably do whatever it was again. Was it the truth? That Wayne didn't remember it? Which was ridiculous. Blue remembered. But maybe Wayne had bumped his head really hard and forgot and he clearly had a good life. Why would Wayne want to be treated like Blue was when Blue was so…so…

Such a whole series of bad luck and bad mistakes and bad everything.

Wayne had been the nicest of everyone at school.

But why would Wayne ever be nice to Blue after today and what had happened? Blue could see the other kid's face so well in his head, a face bare inches apart from his face, and Blue could feel the fence behind him and the fear. Wayne had been so _mad_. So mad. The power Wayne had let loose to crack the sidewalk and kick up all that soil and move the air…

What if Ben really did go to Wayne's home? And Wayne was still mad? Ben…Ben could get hurt.

"Don't talk to him," Blue breathed out. "Please."

Ben rolled his eyes. "Fiiine. Both of you. Spoilsports. Eh. I was going to the gym tonight anyway. And I can still glare at the kid tomorrow morning."

"Ben."

"What? Like you aren't going to do the same, Dave?"

The silence lingered. A little too long. And Dave looked away.

Ben's mouth went up, smirking, then breaking into a full force grin. Him and Minion made eye contact. And Ben suddenly bent over, grasping at his stomach, silent laughs shaking through him. Minion grinned, spurts of laughter coming out. "He is. Oh, look at that face, he is going to do it."

"Shuddup," Dave grumbled.

And Blue broke into giggles too.

"Yeah, yeah." The man continued the grumbling, but the corner of his mouth quirked up and his eyes crinkled at Blue. "How about we get going over to the bus? Hm?"

Blue nodded, scooped up Minion, and stood up.

"Do you think Frank has a bus rule about keeping him waiting?"

Ben chuckled. "Bet so. We'll tell him to tally that one being broken on the Scott kid. Earn us a third glare in the morning."

Head swiveling, green eyes wide, Blue gasped up at the guard in astonishment.

"Ben," he chided the man.

Except it wasn't much of an admonishment. Ben had too much humor in him. Ben would still do it, the glaring, Blue would believe it. And get Frank going on top of him and Dave. Stepping down from really saying or doing anything to Wayne like Blue had been worried about, yet still…

Blue ducked his head. In his arms, Minion smiled and nodded up at him. And Blue smiled back, feet a little lighter as he walked across the schoolyard to the bus, trailing after Ben and Dave.

It did not change anything at school, but Blue felt much better.

He was not evil.

He was a good kid.

He had a good heart.

He made mistakes, but there was nothing wrong with that.

Because he learned. He learned from those mistakes. Everything he had ever made he'd learned, fixed, improved, tweaked it. If learning and making and creating things and all his hard work was something celebrated and praised upon and cheered, except for the wall thing as Warden had explained the reasons and let him know that was not okay in purposely trying to do that, well then…learning and making mistakes in other parts of life were bound to happen.

It was just… Minion _had _pointed it out before, but perhaps Blue did not quite fully realize the truth of it and importance, the impact. He had people. He had people supporting him and caring for him. Learning and making things, well, they had never ever been discouraged. And he'd hardly been discouraged about things he had made which wound up not working quite as he wanted, because there had always been someone there focusing on the bright side.

Blue had thought school would be a place full of people like that, a place of learning. There were things being taught, just…it was _different_. Today had been the first time he had really been discouraged by his learning and making. Because…Blue expected that support for it. And he had never fully realized he _had_ been supported. All in their own ways, there were people who supported him and who he was and kept an eye out for him.

Well, no matter what, he would keep on doing what he loved. Learning. Creating. Improving. Mistakes would happen. But that's how you kept doing those. The learning and creating and improving. It was part of it.

And…and he had them.

Ben and Dave.

Frank the bus driver.

Red. Carl.

Missus Oh. Warden.

Who were behind his favorite visitors.

Fred with the shared excitement and joy and glee of taking things apart and making them anew. Ideas and what if we do this or try this spoken easily between them, often finding themselves talking too much. Distracted by those notions or other ones tossed in from others or in how to make something to make an acted out story with everyone better.

Grumpy Bailey always being so easily bothered and roused and spoke bluntly, but that was how he was and how he cared with people.

Delbert, excitable Delbert who liked pipping up and in with the rest, had grown even more talkative and giggly and excitable in how if he said something wrong, Blue would say it wrong too.

And Charlotte. Charlotte who shared books Blue had never seen the likes of in the prison library. Who retold those simple, but somehow captivating children's stories with him and her brothers as the characters. Who took him by surprise. Who brought up ideas he had never thought of. Who thought he should have a name, like everyone else, not merely a mound of nicknames. Who was equally annoyed she had no nicknames of her own, nixing all the insulting or teasing ones her brothers then attempted to give her. Who got him interested, intrigued and wanting to know more, when she spoke of things other than his favored mechanical joys. Who managed to bring him a simple recorder and lesson book for him on their last visit. Who was nice and the one Blue really wished he had started school with at them being the same age. Rather than…rather than…

Well, he had people. He would have to remind himself in the hours spent at school. The words and support and care and that he was not really all alone even if it felt like that there.

Blue was determined to learn things from the place of learning.

And he always, always had Minion with him.

Warden had made sure of that.

That night, with his spare time allotted for using the room with all the tools, Blue tweaked and fixed the earlier problem. Then popped a big pot of corn (using a newer one from the kitchen with permissions and promises of not blowing it up like the last one—it didn't). One by one, he gave the popcorn out. To Dave and Ben. Putting a bag aside for Frank tomorrow morning. One for Red. Another bag to ask about mailing to Carl. Then half of it, carrying the pot out in front of him so he didn't bump it with his knees, Blue made his way to Warden's office, Minion rolling along behind him.

"What's this fellas? Ah. Really got that popcorn device producing masses now, don't you?"

Blue nodded.

"Good for you! It is getting close to lights out soon though, you should—"

"For you," interrupted Blue softly. "And Missus Oh and Fred and Bailey and Delbert and Charlotte."

"I'm sure Delbert will really enjoy it," Minion chipped in brightly.

Warden's mustache twitched as he leaned back in his chair, eyes going between Blue and Minion. "That he will. A bit too much maybe. The gesture is nice fellas and very appreciated, but not really allowed and there are guards who are aware of that."

Blue straightened.

"I thought of that. And my earlier mistake comes in handy."

He grinned, then ducked his head, trying to play it down as Warden tended to do. The straight face did not last on Blue. His pursed mouth peered mischievously up in Warden's direction. A twinkling smile.

"The pot I blew up in the corner of your office here. It's bigger. You can put this pot inside, keep the popcorn clean and covered, carry it out like you're getting rid of the one I errored on with the power for the added ears and container size factorization I didn't realize I'd need to take into account. And because of my mistake and learning, you and your wife and kids can all enjoy a tasty treat tonight."

There was a pause. Warden blinked. And then, under that mustache, a smile shone through.

"Why so you're right. Very thoughtful. And sure to be enjoyed."

Blue beamed.

Then dashed back to the door to get back before lights were out.

But paused, shyly glancing back, then out the door for any nearby ears. And back to Warden. Nervously, he fingered the lightning mark on his chest, mumbling some as he spoke.

"Thanks. With…with the blanket. And extra time for things and stepping in with certain visitors. Bringing...bringing my favorite visitors and letting them come back. School. Minion with me there. And… Well, things. Thanks."

Blue hovered at the doorway, head still tilted down, eyes tracing the edges of the lightning bolt with his fingers rather than looking at Warden. He could feel the color in his cheeks and ears. His head tilted and shifted, trying to hide exactly how much it meant to him and in how he had never taken the time to let Warden know before now.

There was a pause.

It lingered.

And then Warden spoke before Blue thought of shooting off down the hallway.

"Arthur."

Not expecting that, Blue's head shot up instead. Green blinked. "Huh?"

"For a name suggestion."

Warden's gaze was steady on Blue's eyes.

"Why Arthur?" Blue asked curiously.

The man shrugged, gaze shifting slightly away, but not completely.

"Shortens to Art or Artie. You got a good streak of creative in you. Go on fellas, get going before those lights go off now."

Brows slightly furrowed at the name suggestion and where it came from, Blue slowly nodded. And found the clock. They only had five minutes!

"Ah! We must hurry Minion! It's almost time!"

"What? Ah! You're right! Oh, thank you Warden! Sorry for the rushed departure and no proper farewell!"

"It's fine. Best hurry fellas," Warden called out behind them as they sprinted away.

Back safe in his cell, star blanket wrapped around his shoulders, Blue dragged out a book not from the prison. Opening it to where several sheets of paper were tucked neatly inside the book. Pacifier plucked out from the robotic suit, Blue should really figure out logistics of other energy sources sometime, he used the pacifier's glow to see the sheets. Flipping to the last one and digging out the pencil, Blue carefully added on to his list, then took the time to go through all the sheets and ruminated on all the names and order variations and pros and cons and how he felt about them.

Eyes growing sleepy, he put the items back away, drifting asleep in the midst of pondering about Warden's single name suggestion. Charlotte had said their dad was really for him having a name of his own, but couldn't do anything about it. Missus Oh had given a few suggestions, all with the letter 'l' somehow incorporated, making him feel warm at every suggestion. But Warden had not and Blue had not expected Warden to speak up about it considering things. The book said the meaning was 'noble strength, a bear' which Blue didn't think fit or why Warden gave that name as his single suggestion.

Arthur.

Hmmm.

Well, he liked how the name sounded when said out loud.

And Warden gave it.

So Blue would keep it on his list along with all the others the Kimble family had suggested. And Ben and Dave's suggestions after overhearing them talking in the visitor's room about it the first day. At his tentatively asked question off to the side during mealtime, Red had said Blue should go with a name of what he wanted and Red would call Blue whatever name he wanted to be called by. Minion was much the same, but enjoyed going back and forth with Blue, discussing all the names and ideas.

It was nice, Blue thought. Having people. And soothed by that, he finally fell asleep.

* * *

AN:  
No, this did not happen again. How did this happen again? Where am I even going with this? Other than some semblance of normal childhood for him and having more people shown in his corner other than Minion... Oh yeah, right. Okay. I'll go with that? So it was in my head and I wrote more and yeah, might as well do something with it and post it up. Again. What's wrong with me?


	4. Chapter 4

Glumly, Blue watched the other kids. Without Wayne calling attention to him being left out and insisting they were all classmates, Blue had been easily ignored by the other kids and not much was said to him. Even if the words weren't nice before, at least there had been a conversation and hope for improvement, to better words. This now, it was…disheartening.

After the first day of Wayne snubbing him, Blue had inched carefully close to the boy, attempting to figure out what he had said or done wrong. Not that it'd done any good. Wayne was still clearly upset and refused to listen, flying away and back to the other kids instead.

Missus Doe didn't seem concerned by the other kids drawing away and continued on like she had before. Bothered by it, Blue drew himself further apart, watching hopefully for someone to glance over at him. A good chunk of when Wayne began ignoring him was spent reminding himself of comforting words and knowledge. Everyone makes mistakes. He had a good heart. Yet as days and weeks passed on, Blue's alert watching dimmed with his hope.

Finding more time on his hands, Blue had set his mind on a challenge, focusing on his strengths in what he was good at. Wanting to disappear had been a stray thought. Yet the ideas began running through his head. Blue had raided the prison library and asked Charlotte and Fred to bring him more books surrounding the subject, devouring them faster than Fred followed, who still followed his thought process more than anyone else.

The free time at home and school led to him managing to dehydrate animate objects. One way to disappear. And one only needed a little bit of liquid, water being the best choice in that a body held mostly water, to rehydrate.

Blue had been briefly excited about finally managing to get the hang of it at school. He had turned to Wayne, to see if the other boy was looking, to prove 'metal things' could be made and he got this one to work. But Wayne, the other kids, the teacher…they were too busy singing about a spider.

Spee-ider, Blue corrected in his head, an image of a grinning Delbert in mind. The younger boy had discovered a cellar spider in the visitor's room a few weeks ago and had been wide eyed in delight at his discovery. Charlotte had kept distance from the spider, keeping her eye on it, yet smiled gamely at Delbert's excitement about it. Bailey had said to squish it, it didn't belong inside. Before a huge argument broke out, Fred stepped in. And somehow, between them all, they managed to convince Missus Oh to carry the spider safely back outside. After Delbert placed it into a box of course. Turned out Missus Oh was afraid of them.

And sure, Minion had tried to cheer Blue up with 'playing possum' as he had grown rather good at after several times of playing hospital or rescue operation types of stories with the Kimbles. But it didn't help too much. At school, it was just Blue and Minion. Just them, off to the side from it all. Blue's best days were spent at home. And especially on Fridays.

But at school…no one picked him anymore. Not without Wayne voicing it. In fact, the other boy had joined in with the rest of the kids, they were all a settled group.

Like playing dodgeball. They choose teams. But the teams only played each other after trying to get the most balls striking Blue first. At least before when Blue was hit, he had been on a team. Picked last, sure, but on a team where balls were being thrown at everyone.

Every game had grown to be like that on the playground.

It was only dodgeball was the worst of them. On top of being set apart and the laughter and the ridicule…he was being physically struck along with all of that. And there was only so much Blue could do about it. There was no way he could dodge all of them. Or catch all those balls. As soon as his attention was on one to avoid or catch, another one came from another direction to strike him. And he found himself standing there, arms slightly up to deflect the severity, hoping less on joining with a team again and hoping more that the game would be over soon.

Except, Blue thought elatedly. Missus Doe had excused them all for recess and he'd perked up at seeing dodgeball chosen by the other kids for the recess activity. This time, this time would be different. Thanks to an idea that came about with the Kimbles.

Specifically, Delbert.

"I choose Sir Knight to raise up his she-auld—"

"Shield."

"She-auld," Blue had said together with Delbert. The boy had grinned and giggled at that, Blue grinning widely back as Bailey rolled his eyes. Charlotte giggled too.

"To defend the castle from everything thrown at it. And for Sir Knight to draw his sword to—"

"A shield!" Shaking his head, Blue repeated. "A she-auld! I can make one! To rise up around me! A…a deflector of some sort! A perimeter set up around me! That way none of the dodgeballs hit me!"

Delbert had gasped, eyes lighting up. "My Sir Knight with a real she-auld? So no one hits you anymore?"

"You could do that? Oh, that'd be great! I'll help," Charlotte immediately said. Her story idea this time for knights and dragons was tossed out like that. Blue had grinned, delighted.

"Exactly!"

"Not without me," Fred said. The older boy already going over to their large tote box of gears and batteries and everything they had collected since their original small box for a toaster and few extras. Blue had leapt across the room, eager to start.

"Or me," Bailey had added with a glint.

And together, with some interesting advice tossed in, Blue and Fred managed to make it.

To make this.

They had tested it. Tossing crumpled up balls of paper at it. The device on Blue's head hummed. Delbert had squealed in delight as the device tossed the paper back, bouncing and dancing around the room. The humming died down when Charlotte gathered all the paper tossed away up, the device at the ready. Then, she crumped all the paper together into one huge ball that Bailey kicked at Blue. The ball hit the perimeter, the device hummed, and had pushed it away from Blue.

Confident, Blue now attached it onto his head, ignoring the jibs of the other kids.

This time, the dodgeball game would be much different. He would be the winner. With a device of his making. Then maybe Wayne would see and listen and the other kids too, that they could become friends like the Kimbles were, see who Blue was past what he looked like or came from. To see who he was. And Blue would not be with just Minion at school. He would have people at school too. Even if he couldn't be at the same school or classroom as Charlotte. The other kids would see soon.

He turned the device on, ready to prove it did just as he told the kids it did, standing tall.

They all began throwing. And Blue, smiling, puffed out his chest. Each time a ball came, there was a hum, the ball shooting away from him. Working. And…

Crash!

Oh no.

A ball through the window of the school.

There was an imbalance of energy with all the balls. He had not tested multiple targets hitting like this, only that it worked, but with this many coming at him…

A ball careened off into the distance, towards the prison.

The distance. The speed shooting away was going faster than the balls came at him.

Another ball zipped right for Missus Doe, who had been keeping an eye out on them during recess. Something else zipped over faster. Or, more precisely, someone. Wayne.

The speed had picked up with all the leftover energy!

Why had he not realized that was a possibility? Why had he not tested that? When he knew balls would not be coming for him one at a time. Why? Why had he not thought of this before?

The corner. Punishment.

Again.

Wayne cheered on. Celebrated.

Again.

Was this to be his destiny? That no matter his hopes otherwise, he would be in the place he landed in? Perhaps the place was meant for him? That this, being bad, was the thing he was good at?

Could be…undisputedly the best at?

No one here would argue that.

They could and would argue against anything he'd learned. Scoff at any of his invented mechanical things. And say he was not one of them.

But to be punished, seen as a bad boy? All of them here would agree. No disagreement there. This is what they all saw him as. That perhaps they'd seen something Blue could not as he lived in his own head, couldn't see the outside perspective. And if they all saw him as a bad boy, someone to put repeatedly in the corner and to avoid, then he was going to make sure there was no question of it in his mind to why.

And so, he gave them the bad.

"What were you thinking, sir?"

Blue looked up from a collection of children's stories Charlotte had given him, being in the midst of reading it through for a third time. He closed it over a finger to keep his place on the story of 'The Ugly Duckling' and blinked at Minion. Minion had apparently burst into speech after spending an hour of rolling the length of their cell back and forth.

"When? Be a little more specific, Minion."

"When you decided to cover the inside of the school with a cloud of blue! What were you thinking? You did that on purpose! Not a mistake, but on purpose! I don't understand, sir! And now, now you are likely expelled and cannot return! I thought you liked school and learning an—"

"No."

Scowling, Blue went back to the book in front of him. Except Minion rolled in front of him. Agitated, bewildered. Huffing, he put his focus back onto Minion.

"What?"

"No? No, you don't enjoy learning?" Minion squinted up at him. "I know that is a lie, sir. Are you…happy you possibly got expelled? And, I still don't understand what you were thinking! You have always made things to be helpful to others, you have never gone out of your way to do otherwise!"

"It wasn't going to change, Minion. Days, weeks, months. All the lessons and books, they were easy and I read all of them. I wasn't learning anything there. I learn more by mistakes with things I invent, trying to figure out why and improving them, then anything tied to a specific place. I spent far more time being told to stare at a wall than anything else there. School, as I found it, was found to be lacking in any of the things I looked forward to finding there."

There was silence as Minion stared up at him.

"You," Minion said slowly. "Finished reading all the books inside that room, including Missus Doe's old teaching textbooks tucked in her desk, months ago, right around Thanksgiving."

Blue quickly looked back to the book, flipping a page. "A nicely stated fact that bears no relevance to this conversation."

"Oh," Minion spoke a bit darkly. "I believe it does, sir. You are avoiding the real issue of why you found school lacking, the real reason you purposely acted up and are not the least bit unhappy about being potentially expelled. And you still aren't happy now either, are you? You gave up on yourself."

Blue fidgeted at Minion's sad tone in stating that. "No! I didn't give up on myself. I just…decided if I landed here and am so good without trying to be bad, well, this must be my destiny and I _will _be the best of being bad around."

"You know, I'm a little relieved to hear that is what you do, to be the baddest kid around," interrupted a dry voice.

Blue swiveled his head and Minion swiveled in his globe to see Warden standing at their cell.

"Warden, hello," Minion greeted hastily. "I'm sorry I didn't see you when you got here!"

"Can I come in fellas?"

Wide eyed, Blue scrambled up, moving the books he'd had spread out back into a neat pile.

"I will take that as a yes."

Unlocking the cell, Warden entered, sitting awkwardly and stiffly on the edge of Blue's bed. Blue stood before him, feeling about as awkward as Warden appeared. Warden actually coming into Blue's cell was unprecedented. Minion failed to speak as well, only clearing his throat after a long moment went on in awkward silence.

"Your stunt has you expelled from that school. I realize, from accounts shared to myself, that school had not been the best experience during your attendance. Unfortunate and I had hoped otherwise considering how well Friday visits had been going."

Blue's breath caught.

"Had been going?"

"Before you were enrolled at that school."

He relaxed. Warden hadn't been suggesting visits from his children where a thing of the past. "Oh, good."

"Good." Warden hummed the word, ruminating it. "They are good. Charlotte tells me you enjoy the stories she tells, especially of a certain kind. Do you mind if I tell you a story fellas?"

"No, not at all Warden!"

The mustache twitched up at Minion's quick response. "Right."

And he began to tell a tale of a man. A criminal. Of how the man returned to society, finding it impossible to get a job and finding a very unhappy wife and son about what he had done, the two choosing to leave him. They had feared, worried, hated him because he might return to what landed him in prison. Return to doing such things and return to being around such people. The man did. Yet, despite them leaving him, the man would ask around about his wife and son, walk by where they lived, wishing to keep up with them and wishing them the best in their lives. His son became a big time lawyer for a big time company, able to pick and choose clients, and easily able to make sure his mother was not left wanting for anything. And the man's son also married, having two boys, twins.

Blue nodded along, showing he was following along with the story, even if he was uncertain to why Warden was sharing this or what the point of the story was. Then, Warden continued on, Blue brightening at the part that followed.

The man figured out ways to treat his grandsons, presents and notes and cards and all sorts of little things found their way into the home. It upset the rest of the family, but the man continued gifting the two grandsons items, the boys learning to hide them and treasuring these items from their mysterious grandfather, enjoying them. They knew the man was a criminal, this had been all they'd been told of him, but could tell there was more to him than just that because of the fun and thoughtful gifts they received from him. The man doted on them as much he could from a distance. Such a man couldn't be all of what their father and grandmother said of him, right?

Despite the horror their parents or grandmother may have wanted, unfortunate circumstances led to the boys meeting the man. At ten, their grandmother passed due to health issues. The following year, their parents perished in an automobile accident on an icy road.

Blue gasped.

The man raised them after that. With help from the people he'd surrounded himself with, people his deceased wife and son would have hated those two boys to be around. Yet, the boys grew up fine, despite what their parents and grandmother would have thought, despite what others around may have said, scorning what good the boys would amount to now that their criminal of a grandfather was raising them. One became a renowned surgeon. The other became a protector of justice. A warden at a prison.

"Like you," Blue said.

He jolted. His eyes going wide at that. Realizing.

A certain kind of story he liked. Ones about things that happened in the Kimble home, the family stories. This was a story of Warden.

"You? Your grandfather, you were raised by a criminal and… I thought your family was all good, never getting in trouble with anyone kind of people. Not like…"

Warden chuckled. "Never getting in trouble, you say. Knowing full well of the story about the old toaster and Fred."

"He's a kid, younger then, mistakes happen."

The man's eyebrow rose. "Like you? Or any person?"

"Yes." Blue frowned, not sure what Warden was trying to make a point about. Minion huffed from his globe.

"You do not have to live up to other people's expectations, they are not you," Warden said. "And it does not get rid of the feelings of wrongness inside of you when you set out living up to those expectations. Because it is not you. It is only you trying to hide so you are not hurt. Trying to make it true so their words don't hurt. But…it still hurts though, doesn't it? Even though you plastered the schoolroom blue?"

"No," Blue quickly denied. But he couldn't look Warden straight in the face. Warden had gone through something similar. Maybe not raised in a prison as a home, but still, similar. Blue mumbled. "Maybe."

Warden smiled at him, then stood.

"Well, fellas, it's getting late. Getting time for me to head home and debate more about Eleanor or Elizabeth for a girl's name."

"Ah, still going for Elizabeth then, Warden?" Minion asked with a grin. "We've not heard much on if it is a boy."

"I'm afraid I'm told I am not quite as picky about any of the boy's names, possibly why my wife gave in on Charlotte's name. Elijah will be the name if it's a boy. Speaking of, made any headway for your own name?"

Blue shook his head. "I only know for sure that I want Lightning for the family name. I do have a list made out of various first and middle name combinations, but nothing really…fits right? Not for a name name. There's something like Aoi, which feels kind of right, but it's only another way to say blue. Which, feels okay, because that's the nickname I like and go by the most, but…it doesn't feel like a name."

Warden hummed, nodding. "Makes sense."

"Warden? I'm just… In narrowing names, I haven't yet crossed off Arthur. I like the way it sounds. Even if the meaning doesn't really seem right for me from what it said in the book. It was the only one you gave as a suggestion. Those were enough for me to leave it on. But it feels like there was more meaning to it? Than how it shortens to Art or Artie and being creative."

Somehow, something Blue said gave Warden pause on his slow leave from the cell. Curious at it getting Warden's attention, Blue watched the man carefully, searching for a clue as to why. Then, to Blue's surprise, Warden smiled and chuckled.

"You never asked about the crimes my grandfather committed."

Blue blinked. Frantic, panicked. "Should I have done that? Is it not right to ask about Arthur after all this time, that I should have asked for more specifics about your grandfather? It wasn't that bad, right? I mean, you're you and—"

Blue stopped suddenly. For Warden had broken into chuckles again.

"My grandfather was pretty creative in how he broke the law. And how he got myself and my brother those gifts when we were younger," Warden tagged on. "But he was a man with a good heart and meaning well, he broke laws to help others. Specifically at that time, people who were fleeing Europe. Fleeing from Nazis. The kinds of people my father refused as clients. Different."

"That's right," Minion chimed in with sudden understanding. "World War II. From the history books. That was going on about…forty years ago?"

Nodding, Warden looked right at Blue.

"People may look at you and think badly of you and not give you much of a chance due to coming from a prison, not taking time to see your good heart. You're pretty good at creative methods and I'm pretty good at being stubborn. It's going to prove difficult to get those outside of this place to agree to you attending school again after your, fairly understanding, moment of blowing up. To you going to a place like any other kid to have that chance to really learn and socialize. Very difficult, but I believe it can be done. Think you may be willing to give school another chance?"

Blue fidgeted and looked to his feet. "I don't know," he mumbled. "Maybe. If…"

Hopeful, Minion rolled up to Blue, staring up at him. "If what sir?"

"If…"

Blue hesitated. It had been something thought, imagined, not anything he voiced aloud as he had heard the difficulties about even the small school agreeing. And knew of the trouble there would be with a larger school. The trouble voiced at a larger group of kids possibly coming to visit him, back when Warden first had Blue's now favorite visitors come.

Green eyes peered slowly up at Warden. "Do you think, maybe, I could attend school with…with your kids?"

Warden stared for a moment, taken by surprise, then his mustache quirked upwards. "My wife is right. You only do say it as 'shool' with Delbert."

Blue took in a quick breath, eyes wide. "Did I say shool? Yes, I totally said shool, I always say shool!"

The man cracked into laughter, a rarity, much less so around Blue as Warden tried to be so careful showing too much toward him. Blue beamed, a toothy smile, pleased and ducked his head down at feeling his face warm. By Blue's feet, Minion rolled about, a toothy smile on his own face. If a bit sharper than Blue's own.

"We'll aim for that then," Warden said. "Give you a few familiar faces to have around. See you later, fellas."

Blue barely saw the man leave, lost in thought at the man's parting words.

To attend school and spend more time with them. With Charlotte, who was his age and school grade. And with Fred and Bailey there too, Delbert in a section of the building called preschool. It'd be so much better. Right? Well, if they could make it happen.

"I still can learn from making things and books brought here for me," Blue said to himself. There was always that, if going to a place of learning didn't pan out. He still could do that here, on his own, with Fred. And still have time with the Kimble children.

He jolted. "Oh! He never answered me about the name Arthur!"

"Sir? I believe Warden did."

Blue frowned, confused, and looked to Minion. "Nooo. He did? When?"

Minion rolled a bit, eyes sliding away from Blue. "Sir, I… Did he not use similar words when speaking of his grandfather? How creative the man was. Helping others. Speaking about the good heart his grandfather had. Similar words tied to the name, his grandfather, and…you sir."

There was silence. Blue's green eyes had gone blank in shock. He stumbled back, then fell onto his rear, jaw hanging open.

"I, what, he, no, that's just, no, it'd be, no, I…"

Minion carefully came close to where Blue sat.

"It is possible sir and…sir! Sir!"

For Blue had scrambled, twisting around and crawling over to yank a cluster of papers, flipping one out to write on. "Blessing, goodness. Creative, a name with ties to the Kimbles that…a nod to prison, but not, I mean, I liked the way it sounded and kept it before, but now, it's got more meaning tied to it. And then with Lightning for a last name… Initials spell mal, bad, which is super neat, but oh! I could write it as a nod to my big head, but not obvious. Still, I'd know and… I think I like this option. This one might work!"

"What might work, sir?"

Blue held up the paper, grinning and pointing at the bottom. "For my name! I mean, there's no 'l' name in there like I hoped and tried with all of them, but still, there's the 'l' in Lightning, so this possibility still technically works. What do you think, Minion?"

Ah. The paper that had the short list of name combinations Blue was leaning toward with Lightning as his family name. At seeing what the paper was and Blue's excitement, Minion broke into a huge grin.

"I think it looks great sir! I like it!"

* * *

AN:  
And back again. Marathoning another weekend to adding more. Well. At four whipping up things on a weekend, I think this is a thing. Probably. And honestly, him deciding he was going to be the baddest boy around and it all added up to flinging the color blue everywhere, well, he grew up in a prison. The worst thing he could think of doing, on purpose, was something that is far more of a prank. Venturing slightly into vandalism considering if it did or did not cause damage worth money...or easily cleaned off. That was the worst he could think of? His accidents with both machines he made were far worse than what he decided to actually do as being bad. I kind of found that interesting when watching the film. Family entertainment, can't show anything too bad, but still. His on purpose act compared to acts of accidents...factoring in he grew up in a prison? Interesting. And, man! I really can't believe I spent another weekend adding to this! Crazy!


	5. Chapter 5

She, was a conundrum.

Or at least, that word sounded impressive to give some weight to the utter fascination and bafflement he had for her.

She wasn't like anyone else. Anyone and everyone else had amazement, awe, excitement around him. Sometimes, there was a bit of fear, but it never lasted long as he would do tricks to impress and use his abilities to help. Always helping out and doing right. Which people _loved_. If he ever made a mistake, he apologized, fixed it if he could or ask his parents. They were really good at smoothing things over if he had a bit of an accident. He worked hard to not have any, practicing at home were damage was easily and quickly fixed, one way or the other. And for the last couple years, he had not had any new abilities show up. So he had a pretty good handle on that. Therefore, was really good at entertaining people with them and helping out with very little issue.

So Wayne Scott had no idea why the girl who had the locker beside his, refused to return his greetings and when she did look his way, had such a strong look of dislike. Not amazement or awe. No excitement to the few tricks he tried. No fear at him having superhuman abilities. But stared at him in dislike before closing her locker next to his and leaving.

He didn't get it. Or understand it. He knew this was around the age his dad commented girls started getting weird, but still. Charlotte Kimble was the only person in the entire middle school who acted like that.

Well, her and her older brother in the seventh grade, Bailey. But from the short time Wayne had been at this new school and in meeting the older boy, Bailey was like that with everyone. Charlotte was not. Just with Wayne.

With everyone else, she had these soft little smiles, a warmth to her, zeal for telling and sharing stories. Downright cute. With her white slacks and pastel colored cozy sweaters. And him trying not to be spotted so he could hear her with others, with her friends, entertaining them all in her own way. No superhuman physical abilities to pull it off. Just her excitement on display, face alight and hands moving and words becoming more, enticing and sucking you into the story.

Wayne was caught every time. He kept reacting to her tales with gasps and questions and then embarrassingly called out on listening in. Her friends and others nearby would joke and tease Wayne, her as well, saying how he liked her liked her.

She would scowl and glare. And he would jolt and deny it. Loudly.

Except, he did. He liked her. A little. Just a little.

He wasn't going to say that. She clearly didn't like him. And he couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why.

The most he could think of was she was upset or mad at him was from the first time he'd stopped and listened to her telling a story to her friends Minnie and Jill. The first time he'd gotten caught and apologized for doing so and said he liked the story. Then Jill had giggled and said Wayne liked Charlotte. Those around had caught onto that and it became a whole thing.

Maybe she really liked someone else and didn't like the fact people kept bringing up him to her?

There was only so much Wayne could do about what anyone said. It wasn't his fault. He didn't tell them to do that. Even said he just liked her stories. Or that he just wanted to say hi, to be friends.

Nothing he did went over well for Charlotte.

"Hello," he half-heartedly attempted to her.

She opened her locker. Pulled out her backpack. Put in her math and English textbooks. Swung the backpack over her shoulder. Tugged out a cheerfully wrapped square present, covered in what looked to be cute little doodles done by hand in various sharpie colors. Blue balloons, red dragons, yellow lightning bolts, green gears, purple presents and bows.

That got Wayne's interest.

"Hey, who's birthday—"

The rest of the question lodged in Wayne's throat. Charlotte had closed the door and turned toward him. With not a look of dislike. A smile. A really large smile.

His heart hitched.

He smiled back.

And she sprinted past him.

"Charlie!"

"Meg! You're early!"

"Been brimming full of anticipation and excitement all day. Schedules mean nothing to me. Well, except yours because otherwise I'd be stuck pacing the hallway for the past forty-six minutes. Oh! It looks amazing! Did you make the lightning bolts into a face? You did! I love it!"

Wayne openly stared from his place at his locker. Both of them paid no mind to the late stragglers rushing off to the buses, their attention solely on each other. Not that Charlotte ever did otherwise from what Wayne had seen in watching her. But she wasn't unaware of others. She'd give a quick wave or hello to others—sans him—then right back to focusing on the person or people she had already been talking with. Except, with this other boy, she didn't look as though her attention would waver for anyone else.

Wayne's heart hitched. Again. But with more pain. He shook his head, trying to shake the feeling off.

It was the boy's birthday. She had given him a gift. Of course she was focused on him.

Impatient, Charlotte motioned, eyes sparkling. "Well open it!"

The boy pressed it close to his chest, gasping at her. "And not fully appreciate and take in the wrappings so carefully made for the occasion? Let me get my full share of admiring it first, Charlie."

Charlotte laughed, eyes going up, and shaking her head. "Fine, fine." Her eyes went back to the boy's face. "Jill says happy birthday and she got you a little something too. Here. Give me a second. Hey Freddie!"

"Hey."

Wayne shifted his focus to look to the older boy, he'd come up behind the birthday one, stepping beside Bailey. Another older brother? They shared similarities so it seemed likely. Wayne's eyes went back to the boy admiring Charlotte's wrapping job, turning the gift to take in every side of it. He wasn't small or short, more what Wayne's mother would call slight, and was clearly their age. Which had Wayne wondering why this boy did not look familiar and why he'd not seen him before.

It's not like he was watching _watching_ Charlotte. Not really. He just noticed her. She stood out. And her locker was right next to his. Of course he saw her.

Black Converse shoes, rather than the more popular Reebok or Nike. Dark, black and white, denim wash jeans, tightly rolled up at the bottom to show off the shoes. A yellow collared polo shirt, the collar sticking up, tucked into the pants which were held in place by blue suspenders **and** a blue belt at his waist with a yellow lightning bolt design for the buckle. Wayne almost didn't see the extra thing to hold up the boy's pants due to the overlarge coat tied, sliding down on the left side, around his middle. The denim backpack on his back was clearly very old, one strap stitched back on with thick blue thread and Wayne could spot at least two patches on it where he stood.

Why wouldn't he just buy a new one?

And while the coat tied around his middle did help point out how slight he was, his head certainly did. Large forehead and very closely cropped black hair. As in barely grown in hair. Like one of the sick kids from the big hospital fundraisers Wayne's parents went to.

"Here you go, Meg." Charlotte pulled out the item from her backpack, holding it out to the boy.

Meg?

As in Megan?

Wasn't that a girl's name?

"Ah-ha! Brilliant! It's even astronomically correct!"

With a quick flick of his hand to an arm, there was a sharp slap, startling Wayne a bit. The boy raised up the arm he struck and grinned brightly. A strap of black now wrapped around his wrist, little spots of white dotted onto it.

"I simply must create the perfect card of thanks for her on finding and acquiring this."

"Good idea," Minnie said. Charlotte's friend nodded, an approving smile on her face. And then froze. And Wayne froze. Light brown and icy blue eyes glued to the other. "Um… Guys?"

"What is it Min—"

There was a sharp intake of breath.

Not just Minnie's eyes were on Wayne now.

The birthday boy's eyes in particular were startlingly large and noticeable in their brilliant bright green. They stood out. Even against Charlotte's warm brown, narrowed upon him, much like Bailey's narrow brown glare. Minnie's head twisted back and forth, her light brown eyes appearing anxious and concerned. But Fred's brown seemed watchful. All brown eyes. And then the huge brilliant bright green gawking at Wayne.

"Hello," Wayne greeted. And waved, pulling his shoulders back as he did so, trying to look confident rather than caught watching in his curiosity about this boy Charlotte Kimble was so excited to see. "I'm Wayne S—"

A loud snort interrupted his introduction. Bailey. "Oh. We know who you are."

Wayne blinked. Tried to shrug that off. The older boy was just… Bailey was never known for… Except he had not come across this strong before. The older boy's tone and disdain struck him harder than he would have expected. No one… No one had ever straight up spoken and referred to him with blatant, straightforward hatred like that. Some dislike, but not like—

"Bailey," the oldest one intoned. Freddie. Huffing, Bailey rolled his eyes away and crossed his arms, hip jutting in the birthday boy's direction. "Apologies for him. Let's get going."

"Happy birthday!"

The words blurted out from Wayne. He drew his mouth up into a smile. Trying to fix the dislike aimed at him. Being caught watching and listening to Charlotte. Again. He had just been…curious. That was all. Besides, everyone liked birthday wishes. No one could dislike him for that.

The birthday boy peered with those brilliant bright green eyes from behind the moving group surrounding him.

"Happy birthday," Wayne repeated. "Meg, right? How old are you today? Twelve?"

If the boy was a year older, then that would explain why Wayne had never really seen him. He'd be in the next grade up. Except Freddie seemed to have come with him. And Freddie appeared both taller and older than Bailey. Who was in seventh grade. Maybe the birthday boy was older than he looked?

There was a bit of a pause, then the boy spoke, hands fidgeting with his lightning belt. "Meged. My name is Meged. Meged Lightning."

Wayne's eyebrows flew up at that. This was the lightning boy? Lightning Boy? The one Wayne had overheard a few comments about. The boy who, rather than entering middle school with the rest at this school district, got skipped completely past and into the high school? He'd thought lightning had been a nickname. But apparently it was the boy's last name.

"And I'm eleven," the boy tacked on. "Er, thank you?"

"Meg Meg!"

A small speedbullet of a child burst through the slowly dying down crowded hallway, leaping onto the birthday boy. Wayne blinked as he got a good look. Was that… How many Kimble siblings were there?

"Hey, little Yaya!"

The small boy, looking around perhaps five, beamed. "Happy one one! I made you a thing in class today! Here! It's a card!"

Wayne watched as Meged took the folded piece of blue construction paper, covered in a giant sprinkle mess of two lines on the front, opening it to see a box drawn on the inside with various buttons glued inside. The birthday boy smiled. Those green eyes slid back to the younger boy clinging to his side.

"Nooo," Meged's voice came out teasing. "This _can't_ be the inside of the cleaning bot Fred and I have been working on, can it?"

The small boy giggled at the tone, wiggling. "Yep! I got all the buttons where the bigger gears are at! Um, right?"

Meged smiled warmly. "It is perfection," he declared.

A feeling nagged at Wayne as he watched.

"Elijah. You were supposed to wait at the elementary with Delbert for us to come. Like usual."

The small boy turned to Fred, making a pouting face with large dark blue eyes. "But today is special. Bertie was _right_ behind me. See? He's right there, see?"

Yet another one that was clearly a Kimble came from the same direction Elijah had come from. Delbert. Bertie.

It was that moment it sunk in and Wayne spun. "Wait a minute! You _make_ things? Mechanical gadgets with gears and wires and stuff? Really? That's awesome!"

Meged jumped, eyes wide, a startled noise blurting out from him. "I, uh, well, I, yes, I create and invent, but you…awesome? You never thought I, er, um, hi?"

"Hey!" Charlotte placed herself in front of Meged. Between Wayne and him. Her eyes narrowed and Wayne froze, froze at the realization he had flown right at Meged in his excitement.

Another body came from the other side, hand shoving at Wayne's shoulder. "Back off," Bailey snarled. It didn't do much, but it did snap Wayne out of it. He hovered back a few inches, planting his feet back firmly onto the floor, and took a step back.

"You really make things? New things?"

The boy blinked at Wayne. "Yesss? Yes, I do. Fred does too."

"Awesome," Wayne breathed out. He turned to take in the oldest there, who was still watching them all. Then back to Meged. "What kinds of things? I tried making things myself a few times, but it's way harder than I thought it would be. My mother hired an old professor for science stuff to give a few lessons. Managed to do a couple of outlined little projects, but man! Super hard. Even with things already invented, which I thought would be easy since they're already a thing. Got pretty good at putting things I messed with back how I found them. Er, for the most part. Can I see? What have you made?"

Meged's jaw slowly hung farther and farther open as Wayne had gone on. His eyes were not the only wide ones staring. All the Kimbles were staring.

"So, Wayne," Freddie spoke up. Er, wait. Meged had called him simply Fred. Wayne put his focus onto the oldest Kimble, who seemed kind of amused. "You're into science and inventing?"

"That's Wayne?" Plastered to Meged's side still, Elijah turned his head to give Wayne a long studying look, eyebrows furrowed. "Wayne Scott?"

"Yes," Charlotte answered the youngest boy simply.

"Kind of? I found an appreciation for it? I can't do it, but…"

Wayne hesitated. Then went through with it. He went right into why he appreciated someone creating mechanical devices.

"There was this kid from my kindergarten class who made it look so _easy_. And after finding out he really was making metal things, I had to try and see for myself, but well. I'm much better welding metal things together. The things he made were impressive too. The old professor mother hired thought I imagined them all up. The kid was a bit of a liar about some stuff, but… But I don't think so. Not about making stuff. He was all brain and smarts. Read through every book there. Tinkered with things from his seat. Mother said no about any playdate or inviting him over though."

"You what?!"

Wayne blinked at Meged's shocked shout. "I what?"

"You invited over a boy you bullied?" Bailey scoffed. "A boy you physically ran down and led rounds of attacks against at school. And you wanted to have a playdate with him? Ha."

"I don't bully anyone! I didn't—"

"Yes, you did. I told you. We know you." Bailey sneered at Wayne again. "You're the boy with all the gold stars and showing off how great you are. Think you're all that too here, don't you? And you're right. _He_ is impressive. Couldn't take the competition, could you? Or that you couldn't possibly match his brains? Outcasted him. Made him feel like less than a piece of—"

"Bailey!" Fred cut off his brother sharply. "Language."

"Well," spoke up Minnie in the silence. She toyed with the ends of her blonde hair. "You certainly did not make him feel welcome. Er, I mean, from all accounts we've heard."

Wayne felt very off center. It was true. He knew he hadn't been the best to the boy from the prison. It was not as though they had been friends or close. He'd been curious and thought it was best everyone get along and did try. But he'd been from the prison. A boy full of trouble. Full of lies. Of course Wayne had been upset and he didn't really run the boy down, but he did kind of, well… Storm up on the boy?

Wayne might be superhuman, but he knew who his parents were and they were not aliens and he was not an alien. Anyone would be upset by some stranger insisting elsewise. Again and again and again.

But…

"How…how do you… Accounts you've heard?"

The Kimble who'd yet to speak, Delbert or Bertie, piped up the answer for Wayne. "Our dad is the warden at the prison."

He blinked. Their dad was… "Oh."

"Yes," Bailey snarked up again. "That's right. Oh. We know who you are and we don't like you."

"But I—"

Wayne cut himself off and shook his head. Bailey's words echoed in his head. Repeating.

_'We know who you are and we don't like you.'_

_'And we don't like you.'_

_'We don't like you.'_

_'Don't like you.'_

_'Don't like you.'_

_'Don't like you.'_

"I didn't," Wayne tried starting up again. "I never… Everyone got a gold star from the teacher if they did something good. And I don't show off, I mean, I guess I do, but people like seeing me do stuff and, well, most people do and are impressed, because it's what makes me superhuman and…"

He trailed off again. Most people were impressed. Until he enrolled at this middle school that is and meet Charlotte. Bailey. The Kimble siblings. Meged Lightning. Who he and Fred _made_ stuff. Which Wayne _really_ wanted to see. But…

_'We don't like you.'_

"He was impressive. And interesting. I never, I never bullied him. I don't bully people. I didn't like when he lied and told him so. He did lie. About me not being superhuman, but an alien, which I'm not. And he made mistakes with his created machine things, I could tell on his face even if I didn't believe him then that he made them. I swear, I just… I just…"

Wayne trailed off from his rapid burst of words.

Glanced to Charlotte. Her warm brown eyes weren't nearly as fierce, more confused, yet still narrowed at him. Wayne swallowed, checking for the reactions to the rest. Then looked specifically to the eldest Kimble and Meged.

"I…I really would like to see or even hear about things either of you two have made. I wasn't… I'm not… Look, I'm not great at it, it takes a lot for me to wrap my head on reading to understanding science and math, much less _doing_ something with it. I've only gotten not awful about putting already made stuff back together. So I really do think anyone who's invented and created something, well, they're kind of awe inspiring!"

Fred blinked in surprise, but Meged squeaked with his. Green eyes extremely large. His hands fidgeted, pulling the present Charlotte had given him close.

"Of course they are!" The youngest one piped up in the silence. "You should see the stuff Meg Meg and Freddie have made! Like Bertie's favorite toaster ever! It does everything! There's this nob on it that—"

"Don't tell him!" Bailey snapped harshly.

Undeterred, Elijah continued on. "—and it also can be used for eggs too, because there's this thing inside of it that—"

"Cake! You want cake, right?"

This from Bailey grabbed attention.

"Birthday cake! And the star balloons Mom got! Oooh!" The kid's head swiveled around to look straight up Meged's body, bouncing. "Can I pop them, can I, can I Meg Meg? Pretty please?"

Forcing his eyes away from Wayne, Meged looked down to Elijah with a smile. "Of course you can, little Yaya."

"Yay! Let's go, let's go!"

With that, Wayne watched as the whole group left. Led by Elijah tugging Meged along, then the older elementary school one (Bertie? Delbert?) following. Charlotte and Minnie quickly caught up. Bailey shot a glare and then a smug look back at Wayne before turning away. The oldest Kimble lingered for a time though.

"Well, that was interesting. You having an appreciation for inventors," Fred clarified. "Thanks. But we were both skipped up to the high school. Not much chance for us meeting. Unless times like this. Still… I can't accommodate your appreciation. Not without Meg finding it permissible."

Wayne blinked. "Permissible?"

"Permissible. Meaning with Meg's approval."

He'd figured it meant something like that. Wayne's shoulders drooped at hearing the explanation, the faint hope of it meaning something else disappearing. But…

"So…" Wayne's head jerked back up to Fred. "If I get his approval, then…?"

One shoulder shrugged up on the older boy. "Sure."

And waving one hand up, Fred left, jogging to catch up with the rest.

Hope refiled up Wayne's chest. This was his chance. To see and hear about inventions. After all this time. There had been brief meetings with a few adults invited to his parents' functions. But brief. They always left. And Wayne had been told no on the first inventor he'd ever meet. So to discover this grade skipping boy, Lightning Boy, friend to Charlotte was an inventor… _And_ the oldest Kimble too?

There was no reason the fact they both were close to Charlotte had anything to do with Wayne's excitement about trying to befriend either one. No. Not at all.

* * *

AN:  
It continues! And, the change of perspective called to me? A little less...tugging at the heart sad with Blue's whole childhood situation, even though this kind of started to give him other people in his life and happiness. Wayne is...well, yeah. As well as a time skip. Went from little youngsters to preteens. Well, Blue and Charlotte and Wayne all are. Not that Blue is in this chapter at all. Nooo. He _definitely_ isn't allowed and attending a school, much less with his favorite batch of visitors. And this Meged Lightning boy _definitely_ didn't show off an old nervous habit that Blue used with clutching Minion's globe close to his chest. Wayne having a bit of a preteen awkward crush on Charlotte wasn't quite planned, but his interest and notice would be piqued at her standing out from the rest in how she behaves near/around him.


End file.
